A Kin to Loyalty
by cinnysangel
Summary: Pre outbreak Daryl has a choice to make that will change his life forever. Story may eventually end up at the start of the outbreak and introduces a new family member Jesse James Dixon, Daryl and Merle's cousin.
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Walking Dead, AMC or any of their affiliates. This is purely for entertainment purposes and is a fan created fiction. This story does not reflect the actual Walking Dead series and doesn't claim to be anything but a fan (me) expressing my appreciation for the characters and the wonder that is The Walking Dead. All OFC's (Original Fictional Characters) are a product of my own imagination. Any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.**

* * *

**Chapter 1**

I was once again staking out the Dixon house. It was early morning. I said the time out loud as if it was one word. "Ten-o-three-am." Early on a Sunday for the Dixon clan. Early for me as well. I had my seat all the way back, reclined to the point where I was in line with the door frame. I felt like a gangster. An audible giggle rose in my throat until it was a full blown laugh. Me, Neely Hannigan of Bay Ridge Brooklyn a gangster! I felt a shiver run down my spine as I imagined my mother's voice.

"A gang? What are ya trying to do kill ya mot'er? What ya wanta hang out now, under the Verrazano Bridge? Wait till I tell ya Fat'er!"

My mother had a way of yelling at me even when she was 880 miles away safely back in the house I grew up in. The same one her parents owned when she was young.

.

I distracted myself by taking a bite of my egg mcmuffin, blanching at the soggy egg and limp Canadian bacon. This sandwich was an imposter just like me. I tried to pretend I was working a case, just like my breakfast food was pretending to be edible. I asked myself why I had gone to The Pen mini market instead of McDonalds. I knew the answer. The Pen was closer and I had to get gas in my car. I wouldn't have made the trip across town on E. I used my debit card to pay for the gas and used a handful of sticky change from my cup holder to pay for breakfast. Licking the change probably would have tasted better anyhow. And had I done that I could have avoided the dirty look I got from the clerk at the mini mart.

.

Movement in the driver's side mirror caught my eye and I watched as a real gangster looking kid made his way up the sidewalk. Too small to be Merle Dixon or Daryl for that matter. As he got closer I realized he was too old to be a kid. I resisted the urge to press the lock button. The hooded man jogged up the porch steps leading to the Dixon front door. He pulled his hood down, nervously looking over his shoulder. He was tall like Daryl and Merle but notably thinner. He looked like a younger version of Daryl in a rough kind of way. I reached for the file I had on the front seat, pushing the sandwich wrapper and coffee lid onto the floor. Where the lid had been sitting a half circle coffee stain partially covered the picture of Merle Dixon. I tried to wipe it off thinking Pauley was going to be pissed.

.

Paul Sicily a bounty hunter, and my boss, was a 5 foot five, almost as round as he was tall man that did less hunting than he did eating. I sometimes took jobs from him to help pay my rent. Pauly "the asshole" as I sometimes called him, not to his face mind you, liked to give me the report so I didn't bother calling him with the wrong ID. It was pretty obvious Pauly didn't like to work. The reason he hired me was so he could do as little as possible. My job was to watch for the bounty and call him or her in when I had them in my sights. It was boring and pretty easy. Mostly my cases were the type that I could have taken down on my own. A couple of hop heads, a drunk and an old prostitute, but this was the first time Pauly sent me looking for someone dangerous. Dixon was a firecracker with a lit fuse. I wanted as little to do with the man as I could manage, while still doing my job.

.

Inside the folder I found other pictures, surveillance style photos and two mug shots. One of those mug shots was the character standing on the Dixon stoop, Jesse James Dixon. I read his arrest report. Almost identical to Merle's. Drug possession, assault, battery, disorderly conduct and there at the bottom, burglary. None of this shocked me but my eyebrows did go up when I read his age. According to this he was twenty eight; he didn't look a day over twenty. I knew Daryl was Merle's only brother so where did this guy fit in?

.

I looked at the surveillance picture of Daryl. In it he was standing on the front porch, beer in hand, no shirt, no shoes. His body was littered with scars and tattoos. I wondered how he got them all. His arrest record was considerably smaller than Merle's and Jesse's. I had expected more because of how rough he looked in the photo. A knife fight, maybe a homicide or two. That wasn't the case though. His record showed mostly disorderly conduct and public drunkenness. Also missing from Daryl's report was any kind of drug conviction. I pondered if Daryl was the good son. At least by the Dixon standard he was.

.

My phone buzzed from the ashtray making it rattle from the vibration. At the same time Daryl opened the door for Jesse. The older Dixon was once again without a shirt. His hair was a mess and he scratched his chest absentmindedly while stepping aside to let Jesse in. He looked directly at me making me nervously fumble with my phone.

"Hannigan where is my bounty? It's been a got damn week since you had eyes on that motherfucker!"

It was like every man I had been thinking about suddenly made an appearance at the same time. I scanned the street hoping I'd be three for three and Merle would show up. No go so I interrupted Pauley's extensive use of every slang word he ever heard. "Listen, he's your bounty I'm just doing you a fucking favor here! I could be comfortable in my own house instead of living out of this shit car eating worse shit out of takeout carriers."

"Favor! Who's doin a favor? So ya don't want to be paid then sweetheart? We're doing favors here? Just you keep lookin and shut that whiny trap of yours."

"Oh hell no, you listen here you little weasel you are paying me for this or I'll cut off those little marbles you call balls and serve em on your mama's spaghetti!"

Pauley's loud laughter echoed in my car making me pull the phone away from my ear.

"That's a good one sweetheart. You sure you don't have any Italian in yous?"

I remained silent because Pauley knew I was full blooded Irish. He continued to laugh and I could hear dishes clinking. His next sentence was said with a mouth full of food.

"You just come over here and I'll let ya have some Italian in the can."

I could imagine the greasy bastard sitting at his table with his napkin tucked into his shirt shoveling pasta into his mouth and rubbing his crotch as he spoke. I wished he would choke on something, mainly my hands, wrapped around his slimy neck.

.

I was pissed at Pauley and not thinking clearly when I climbed out of my outback station wagon. The door creaked when I pushed it open and sounded like an atomic bomb exploding when it closed. I looked at the house expecting Daryl, Jesse, or even Merle to come running out and catch me sneaking around the back. A couple of days ago when Daryl was gone I had walked around the perimeter of the house checking to see how many ways in and out there were. The two story brick home had two entrances, front and back door. It also had seven windows on the first floor and eight on the second. There was only one porch roof and that was on the front of the house. When I was doing my house inspection I noticed the glass was busted out of one of the sixes panes in the back door. It was replaced by flimsy cardboard, held in place by duct tape. I hoped Jesse and Daryl were in the kitchen at the back of the house so I could ease drop on their conversation. Maybe Jesse had some news on Merle. My hunch paid off as I crouched low to the grown, leaning tightly up against the side of the house. I could hear them loud and clear.

"She's out there again. Fucking stupid broad! How many days has she been there?"

Daryl headed to the coffee pot filling two cups. "I don't know a week maybe. I ain't pay no mind to her the first couple of days. Not until Merle called. Grab the milk, will ya?"

"When she gonna give up. Don't she know us Dixon boys don't go quietly?" Jesse opened the door of a rundown, rusted refrigerator that had large fist sized dents in the door and sides. "Ya ain't got none."

Daryl punched Jesse on the arm making him whine, "What ya do that for" as he rubbed the area. As some sort of rite of passage, an older Dixon always gave a younger one a hard time. Just as Merle picked on Daryl, Daryl always picked on his Jesse. Daryl dumped the coffee back into the pot. "Yeah we don't go quietly. Some of us cry like little pussies."

"I ain't no pussy! I outta knock that grin off yer face for saying that shit."

Daryl stepped up facing Jesse toe to toe. "Go ahead then! Take yer best shot."

"No fucking way! I'm on parole."

"Aw chicken shit! Afraid of some damn female! I expect ya to be afraid of the ass whopping I'm gonna give ya, not of some woman or going back to jail."

.

I jumped and a squeak escaped my throat when suddenly the back door opened and Jesse landed on his ass in the dirt that should have been a lawn. I could hear Daryl. I assumed he was standing in the doorway.

"Go on chicken shit ask 'er if she wants you or the other jailbird? I bet she don't give a rat's ass if I pound you into next fucking week!"

"You're fuckin crazy! You want to ask her, do it yerself!" Jesse pulled himself up onto his feet looking in my direction for the first time. "Aw I don't need this fucking bullshit! I'm going down to The Pen for some smokes." Obediently Jesse looked at Daryl again. "You need anything?"

His tone was tough but I knew Jesse was used to being manhandled by his cousins. He didn't take any of it personally because he also knew blood was thicker than water. If he ever needed Daryl for anything, Daryl would be there.

Daryl's voice came from deeper within the house. "Grab some milk."

.

I knew Jesse had seen me, but I didn't really care. They obviously knew I was staking out the place. I still didn't want Daryl to know I was on his property because basically what I was doing was trespassing. I glanced over my shoulder thinking I could make a run for the car. When I turned to see if Jesse had moved Daryl was standing in front of me. He loomed over me, shirtless and in jeans with the button open and the zipper halfway down. I didn't see any boxers or underwear sticking out over the frayed waistband. My mind filled in the blanks. When Jesse had showed up Daryl was still sleeping, most likely in the nude. He must have slipped on the jeans right before answering the door.

I gulped in a breath, standing up while holding onto the house for support. His presence had startled me, making my heart race wildly in my chest. I blamed my breathlessness on the fact that I was scared and not on the sight of his half naked body or the fact that I was thinking about him that way. He looked me up and down, lingering on my chest for a second.

"Sweetheart, you need anything from The Pen?"

I opened my mouth stammered, "I…uh… I need…"

"Spit it out, what do you want?"

Daryl's voice was smooth like butter. The way he asked made it sound sexual in nature. I knew he was only trying to intimidate me. I let go of the brick. I had been called sweetheart one too many times today and it was grating on my nerves. "What I need is your dirt bag brother to show up so I can take him to jail where he belongs! And don't call me sweetheart!"

Daryl spun on his heels laughing all the way back into the house. He called out seconds before slamming the door. "Good luck with that… sweetheart."


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Walking Dead, AMC or any of their affiliates. This is purely for entertainment purposes and is a fan created fiction. This story does not reflect the actual Walking Dead series and doesn't claim to be anything but a fan (me) expressing my appreciation for the characters and the wonder that is The Walking Dead. All OFC's (Original Fictional Characters) are a product of my own imagination. Any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.**

**A Kin to Loyalty**

**Chapter 2**

With Jesse at the mini mart and Daryl presumably back in bed or in front of the TV, I decided it wasn't worth wasting my entire morning camped out in my car. If this Sunday was anything like the last, Daryl wasn't going anywhere until later tonight when he would head down to the bar for dinner and dessert. I wondered if dessert was ever anything besides beer and whiskey. Like a tart in tight jeans. So far I hadn't seen him with any women. A guy like Daryl attracted girls but did he show any interest in them? If he did he did it was when I wasn't looking.

.

I parked in my short driveway. It wasn't paved and wasn't really a driveway. It was two concrete slabs, car width apart, only long enough to fit a single vehicle. I lived in a rented duplex. I had the left half of the house and the second floor. My neighbors were on the right and had the basement. I shared my house with Ping and Pong, my cats. They were white except for their ringed tails and mirror image spots on their front paws, Ping's right and Pong's left. Both looked like they had gotten into a can of black paint.

.

I was greeted with a chorus of meows that could wake the dead. I answered them with "wait a minute and move please" before sighing in exasperation over the fact that they wouldn't leave me alone until I poured a little food into their dishes. By the sound of it, a stranger would think my cats were starving. But on sight you would know they weren't. I scratched one cubby kitty and then the other as they gobbled up their food in seconds.

.

Since my breakfast was disgusting I headed to the fridge. There was one slice of pizza left in a takeout box. Its age was questionable. I sniffed it, looked for visible signs of mold and counted the days backwards by name in hopes I would remember when I had brought this home. Deciding it could have been Thursday or perhaps Wednesday. At best it was four days old at worst, a couple of weeks. I took a bite, not bad, grabbing a can of diet Coke I headed to my recliner.

.

After I ate the pizza I mindlessly watched TV. I couldn't afford cable so I had a TV antenna, only picking up a few local channels. I stopped on the church program just in case I needed prayer. That pizza could kill me any second. Five minutes of listening to the pastor scream at his congregation was enough. Anyway, I was pretty certain I wasn't going to die. Food off the floor had a three second rule; surely death by pizza poisoning had a five minute rule. To be certain I grabbed the bottle of Jack Daniels off my coffee table. My uncle swore this stuff cured everything from the common cold to "I don't-give-a shit-itis." I took a big swig of the Jack. I didn't have a cold but I was developing a case of the don't give a shits. I flipped to the news. "Ah… now where talking…" There was something comforting to me in watching the news. Shootings, robbery, and murder, strangely put my mind at ease. They were all awful events, but sadly the norm. I took comfort in knowing all was the way it was supposed to be.

.

.

My phone woke me a couple of hours later. I answered it even though I didn't know the number. The voice on the line was menacing but kept at a low, even tone.

"Why don't you call it quits, girl? Go get your hair done or your nails, but leave my family the fuck alone. I mean it. I don't give warnings, be glad ya got this one."

I had never spoken to Merle Dixon before but I knew it was him. "How did you get my number? And I'll leave your family alone when you are safely behind bars again." It was pointless to continue talking because I was chatting up dead air. I didn't care that he hung up as I added "I will find you!"

.

The news on my TV had changed to an infomercial selling a fat squeezing body suit guaranteed to take an inch off your waist by squishing it to other areas like your hips and butt. The model wearing the suit looked like she didn't have an inch to spare. I could see her pelvic bones and ribcage poking through the spandex.

.

I knew I wasn't going to get anywhere with Daryl. He obviously knew where Merle was but the bond was too strong to break the loyalty between them. I wasn't sure about Jesse though. Jesse was loyal to Daryl but how did he feel about Merle? My guess was that with a little pressure Jesse would crack like an egg.

.

I killed some time napping. The Jack I drank like Sunday communion had hit me harder than I thought. By seven o'clock my stomach was flip-flopping, not because of the old pizza but because I was starving. I didn't have time to make Ramen noodles or anything else that required some cooking skill so I shoved a handful of Fruit Loops into my mouth and swigged milk from the carton. "Neely, you are really outdoing yourself on the nutrition!" It was long past food time for the cats and they let me know it as I opened a can of their favorite. They happily licked at the wet food while I scooped some more dry stuff into their bowls. As I waited for the water dish to fill with tap water I did a deodorant sniff test. Nothing offensive but I took the shirt off anyway. After squeezing my boobs into a tight push up bra and even tighter V-neck t-shirt I was ready to put a little pressure on Jesse.

.

I met up with Jesse at the Dixon house by dumb luck alone. I thought I would swing by check on Daryl hoping to spot Merle. I followed Jesse to the bar that the Dixon clan frequented. It was a rough looking place filled with rough looking people. I drove into the lot parking next to a row of bikes, all Harley Davidson models. I took two parking spots out of fear of being too close to the bikes and knocking them over with my door. I wasn't going to sit out in the parking lot alone and for some strange reason I thought I would be safer inside with a room full of scary bikers.

.

The bar was loud; I could hear the conversations before I opened the door. Once I did and stepped inside the place got eerily quiet. All eyes were on me as I made my way to the bar. There was a stool open on either side of an older biker with tobacco stained nails and leathery skin. I chose the one on the right. The Biker wordlessly slid to the stool to his left, curling his arm around his beer like I was about to steal it. I didn't see Jesse although he had come in a few moments before I did.

.

The bartender, a tough looking man with faded tattoo on both arms refused to take my order. He let me sit there a few more minutes until I pulled my cellphone out and fake dialed. I figured he was worried that I was calling the police. By the attitude I got when I walked in I also figured word had gotten out that I was looking for Dixon. I guessed most of the patrons of this bar had some run in with the law at one time or another. Perhaps I would get a file on one of them in the near future.

.

My fake out seemed to work because the man was in front of me, demanding to know what I wanted. I answered, beer and slapped a ten dollar bill on the bar.

"We don't have beer."

I knew that was a lie mainly because half the people sitting at the bar had bottles in front of them. The couple to my right got up and walked away. "Fine…" I hissed… Jack, double, straight." I waited for him to tell me they were out of Jack Daniels but instead he slammed a glass on the bar and poured me the shot. Why I ordered a double was a mystery. I guess I just didn't like his attitude so I developed one myself. He stood there and watched me take the shot. The Jack hit my throat and burned all the way down to my already protesting stomach. The burn made me suck air. The bartender gave me a toothless grin while putting a bottle of beer in front of me. I refused to take the chaser sip out of pride and stubbornness.

.

A man moved in next to me, standing with his back facing me. I read his shirt. "If you can read this the bitch fell off" I thought, nice way to talk about your woman, while I wondered if he had one or not. Maybe she jumped off the bike to get the hell away. He didn't pay me much attention so I ignored him. A half hour later Jesse came out wearing an apron, folded in half and tied around his waist. He tossed a dish towel over his shoulder and grabbed a tub of dirty glasses. The second he spotted me he swore.

"Jesus Christ! Why the hell are you following me?"

I got up and walked to the end of the bar as Jesse made his way back to the kitchen. He stopped walking when I asked, "Does your parole officer know you are working at a place that sells alcohol?" He repeated his sentiment as before, but adding a letter to it.

"Jesus H Christ! Why you fucking with me? I don't know where the fuck Merle is hiding. And…" he held up a finger, "before you get any ideas Daryl don't know shit either. You think Merle is stupid. He isn't. You'll never find him."

I turned back to my seat, the beer and my change had been swept off of the bar. I wasn't worried about it too much. I was just grateful to finally get the hell out of there. Before going out of the door I called to Jesse one more time. "You bet your sweet ass I'm going to find Merle. He can't hide forever."

.

The second I was outside I took a deep breath. I didn't show my fear in there but my knees felt like jello. Three of the bikes parked closest to my car were gone. I assumed the owners didn't trust my driving habits or me in general. I relished the fact that I had installed a little bit of fear into some of that rough crowed. But I think they scared me more. As I got closer to my car I could see someone was leaning on the driver's side door. I could go back into the bar or I could tell the guy to get lost. Neither option sounded like a good idea. For once calling the police didn't seem like a choice either. I had visions of a shootout happening if I did. After weighing my options for a second or two I decided to see what the guy wanted. Maybe he was going to give me info on Merle. It wasn't like Merle was the type of person to make a lot of friends..

As I drew closer to that side of the car I recognized the man, it was the guy that sat next to me with the billboard style shirt. Apparently his bitch had fallen off the bike because here he was and I could still read his shirt.

"You're out of you league, girly."

His tone was a warning one made to scare me into leaving and not coming back. I planned on doing just that, but not because I was warned. I had been a fool to think Merle would be hanging out at his favorite bar when he was a wanted man. I looked at the guy's face, inspecting it closely. Under that mop of tobacco stained grey hair and matching beard was a younger man. I had assumed he was above middle aged, but looking closer made me realize he had to be around Merle's age. I played dumb, acting like I was there for Jesse.

"What do you mean? Oh… do you mean with Jesse? He and I are just old friends. I'm not wanting to date him or anything."

.

Without warning the biker lunged at me, grabbing my wrist and twisting it painfully behind my back. He shoved me against the car pinning me down face first onto the hood. I struggled but his strength was too much for me. I screamed, "Let me go!" hoping if I made enough noise he would.

"Not until you learned who not to fuck with!" He kicked my feet apart.

.

I fought him as hard as I could while he laughed at me. Adrenaline raced through my blood making my body shake violently. I thought my knees would give out making me fall onto the tarmac. Hot tears stung my eyes, rolling down my face. This man was going to rape me and there wasn't a damn thing I could do about it. My screams would go unanswered and then maybe he would kill me too. I heard a steel door being flung open and slam against something solid. Then I heard a loud voice I thought I recognized but my mind couldn't process what was being said or who said it. The next sound I heard was a sickening sound of wood against skull. I felt hands on me, pulling me away from the car. I fought furiously, blinded by the need to survive. Strong arms pinned my hands to my side and lifted me off my feet. It didn't stop me from kicking and wiggling as much as I could.

"Will you calm the fuck down? Neely… stop kicking me or I'm going to drop you on your ass!"

.

It was the voice again and this time I knew it was Daryl. "Put me down!" He did but refused to let go. I saw Jesse holding a bloodied baseball bat and my attacker was lying face down on the ground. I thought he had to be dead. My mind created insane scenarios filling in blank spots in my memory. Maybe that sound wasn't a door, maybe it was a gunshot. I desperately gulped in air trying not to pass out as the darkness took hold.


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Walking Dead, AMC or any of their affiliates. This is purely for entertainment purposes and is a fan created fiction. This story does not reflect the actual Walking Dead series and doesn't claim to be anything but a fan (me) expressing my appreciation for the characters and the wonder that is The Walking Dead. All OFC's (Original Fictional Characters) are a product of my own imagination. Any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.**

**Chapter 3**

I opened my eyes confused at first until I figured out I was in a car. The motion of it was making me sick to my stomach. I realized I had my head in someone's lap. The voice called to me, softly. "Neely..." but then again with authority, "Neely!" Daryl was pushing my hair back from my face. "Jeeze I thought we were going to have to take your ass to the hospital."

.

Lying in his lap was a little too cozy and intimate for me. I sat up, too quickly, which made me fall against the door as we careened around a corner. I banged my head on the glass and cursed through clenched teeth. "Son of a bitch!" The events came back in a blur and all I could see was the man lying on the ground. "You killed him!" I repeated that statement screaming it this time. I wasn't one for hysterics yet I was getting hysterical. Daryl grabbed me, slapping me across the face. It worked; I got instantly quiet and aware of my surroundings. Calmer I repeated. "You killed him."

For the first time I realized Jesse was driving. My face stung where Daryl slapped me. "You hit me!" With one hand on my stinging cheek I used my other to slap him on the arm. "Don't do that again! Jesse, stop the car!" I saw Jesse look in the rearview mirror waiting for Daryl's command.

"Keep going. And yes I hit you, you're hysterical. You need to calm the fuck down. And if you keep this shit up I'm going to put you over my knee and wail you a good one."

"Jesse, stop the car or I'm calling the police and telling them you kidnapped me."

"He'll stop when we get home. Sit back and shut up."

"He'll stop now or I'm going to puke on you!"

The car was still rolling when I hit pavement. I didn't wait, couldn't wait for it to come to a complete stop. I flung myself out of the door, crawled to the side of the road where I heaved into the dirt. I didn't have to look up to know that the pant legs and boots I could see out of the corner of my eye belonged to Daryl. He waited for me to empty my stomach and spit a few, ten times, before hooking his hands under my arms and hoisting me to my feet.

"Real fucking tough huh? Miss Hannigan I think you should look for another line of work."

I wasn't going to argue with him; quite frankly I didn't have the strength. Daryl had to drag me back to the car. He shoved me into the backseat and told me to move over. I watched him climb in next to me, feeling like I was his prisoner. The only difference, I felt taken care of and not victimized.

.

This time I leaned up against the door, I closed my eyes out of exhaustion. I thought if I couldn't see Daryl and Jesse I could forget about what happened, making the images disappear. That didn't happen instead they seemed to be clearer with my eyes closed. I turned my head and looked straight at Daryl. "You killed that man or he killed him. Jesse had a bat."

Jesse looked over his shoulder making the car swerve. "I did not! Yeah I had the bat but I didn't hit him!"

Daryl looked away for a second "Keep your fucking eyes on the road!" When his eyes met mine again his stare was intense. "I didn't, he's not dead."

I narrowed my eyes searching his for the truth. If he wasn't dead then why were we speeding away like this? Jesse gave me the answer I wasn't sure I wanted.

"He's not dead but we might as well be. Do you know who that guy is?"

* * *

I had a bag of peas held to my head. I was amazed that Daryl had them because I didn't take him as a vegetable man. Meat and potatoes kind of guy was more like it, even better if it was his own kill. Maybe you only got steak if you had a black eye. On TV that was the way it was. I figured a small bump on the head was a frozen pea situation. I was sitting on an old couch with a hunting pattern printed on what should have been brushed velvet. A lot of it was worn away and large tears were covered with duct tape. I shifted in my seat because a board was poking me in the ass.

"Will you hold still?" Daryl was kneeling at my feet. "How the hell do you expect me to look at your knees if you won't sit still?"

He hooked his fingers into the hole in the knee of my jeans and ripped. My mouth dropped open and my eyes got huge. "Why the hell did you do that? These are my good jeans!"

Daryl looked at the various rips and stains littered down my legs and then his eyes trailed up to the frayed waistband. "Good jeans my ass. Besides it is either I ripe them or you take them off. You can take them off. I don't mind."

"Screw you Dixon!"

"Then you'd definitely have to take off the jeans. I ain't into dry humpin."

"Listen asshole, I could put on my own band aids at home. And it might do ya some good to keep in mind where I got my foot."

"Figures you'd kick a guy in the nuts for helping ya out. Just shut that trap of yours for a fucking minute!"

.

He poured rubbing alcohol directly onto my bleeding, skinned knee. I thought I saw a smile forming at the corners of his mouth. I felt like giving him a shot to the nuts and blame it on reflexes, but I wasn't that cruel. A second later he got his wish. I was stunned silent when he began to blow on my knee. My skin reacted to the sensation like it was an artic chill. Daryl saw the goose flesh on my arms. I watched as his eyebrows disappeared under his sloppy bang. I wanted to say, "so what so blowing on my knee gives me goose bumps? It's not like it turned me on." The problem being I couldn't bring myself to lie effectively with Mr. Blue eyes staring a hole into my face. I covered the awkwardness of the situation with a stammered question.

"S-so w-who was th-that guy?" Daryl took my question as an opportunity to ignore everything about me besides my injured knee. He dabbed it with gauze poured on some more alcohol, which made me cures. "Christ!"

He warned me to hold still with a look and went right back to preparing a bandage out of gauze and tape, duct tape of all things.

.

Jesse was nervously looking out the window and answered my question when Daryl seemed to be deaf to it. "Ever hear of Bob Cooper?" I shook my head and Jesse moved in closer. "But I bet you heard of Bob Maperro aka Animal."

I swallowed a lump that was stuck in my throat since Daryl blew on my skin. I knew the name alright. He was notorious for getting into to trouble. The word around town was that Bob Maperro wasn't really kin to the Maperro family. But out of loyalty to Bob's mother they had taken him in at a young age, treating as if he was one of their own. Rumors swirled around the family about mob connections out of New York City. I didn't know about connections to the mob since there weren't any Maperro's into the big time in the city when I was growing up. Who knows they could have been connected. All of it didn't matter now anyway not since Animal had a legacy of his own and that was the gang he rode with. I knew for sure that every time Animal Maperro got into trouble the witnesses or the charge seemed to vanish into thin air.

.

I bolted off the couch almost knocking Daryl over in the process. He stood up facing me and when I wobbled because I was still woozy he reached out and steadied me. **"YOU MEAN TO TELL ME THAT MAN THAT TRIED TO…ATTACKED ME WAS ANIMAL MAPERRO?"** I screamed at Daryl like he had something to do with it or could change the events. I also couldn't bring myself to say the word rape. By not mentioning the word I could pretend Maperro put me in a friendly choke hold or something.

**"Calm down Neely."**

"**You calm the fuck down**! You didn't have some bastard trying to…to…against your **will!**" Suddenly Merle Dixon seemed like a pussy cat in the light of these recent events. I started to hyperventilate, coupled with the bump on my head it was enough to send me into a blackout state once again.


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Walking Dead, AMC or any of their affiliates. This is purely for entertainment purposes and is a fan created fiction. This story does not reflect the actual Walking Dead series and doesn't claim to be anything but a fan (me) expressing my appreciation for the characters and the wonder that is The Walking Dead. All OFC's (Original Fictional Characters) are a product of my own imagination. Any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.**

**Chapter 4**

I came too once again on Daryl's lap. Only this time I was sitting on it with my head resting on his shoulder. I sprung up from the couch like I had been caught doing something naughty. "I want to go home. Take me to get my car." I really didn't want to go back to the bar but I couldn't exactly leave my car there forever."

Daryl got up too. This time he put some distance between us. He spoke to Jesse first. "Get the fuck away from that window." Jesse did as Daryl said without another word. He headed to the kitchen and out of view. Daryl looked at me. He waited a few minutes before talking. "I can't do that. You are going to have to stay here until I talk to Merle. Merle will talk to Animal. Those two are tight like this." Daryl crossed his fingers. "Animal won't dare do a thing to me. He might knock Jesse into next week though, but…"

"I can't stay here! Are you insane? You are insane. Why don't you just tell me where your brother is? That way I can take him in and go back to my apartment and my life."

"Neely, listen to me. A mean son of a bitch who likes to abuse women like it was sport just tried to rape you."

I gasped making Daryl wince. He was straight forward with everything he said but I could tell he didn't enjoy talking about this. He went on, not giving me a chance to say anything.

"Right about now he's pissed off that you got away, and blaming you for the gash on his head. He's probably drunk, horny and fighting mad. I know for a fact that he's been through your car and knows where you live."

"Oh my God!"

"You got someone you can stay with?"

"Only if I want to go to New York. Daryl, do you think Animal would do something to my cats?" My limbs started to shake and a weird ringing echoed in my ears. "They're all I have."

* * *

I saw Daryl's jaw clenching; even in the limited light I could tell he was angry. I knew he didn't want to come to my place but my tears had gotten to him. I think he agreed out of frustration and the need to make me stop. It seemed he was very uncomfortable around emotional people. We were sitting in the car with all the lights out watching my duplex from a safe distance.

.

Daryl was handing out instructions like a man about to go into battle. "We go in grab your shit and its out. No screwing around watering house plants or checking phone messages. Got it? And Jesse anyone comes within 50 yards of the place you lay on that horn long and hard. Don't fuck it up! No one is safe. I don't give a shit if it is an old gotdamn lady walking her fucking poodle. You see movement you blast them fuckers."

I hoped that Mrs. Sellner wasn't out letting Fifi do her business or we would have a cardiac arrest on our hands. And I also wanted to know how Daryl knew my older neighbor had a poodle. I didn't get a chance to ask because Daryl had a tight grip on my arm and was dragging me across the street to my place.

"In and out. I mean it Neely."

.

Inside, the place looked normal. My cats welcomed me with annoyed meows from being alone for so long. A little food was all it took to get them to climb into their cat carriers. I shoved some clothing into a bag as Daryl loomed over me.

"Hurry the fuck up!"

"I am! You know you could take me to a hotel."

"Like hell! I ain't stay in no flea bag motel when I have a house. Let's go!"

Daryl scooped up the cats while I carried their food and my clothing. I didn't want to leave my home but the idea of staying here alone scared me. "I said hotel not motel and I didn't invite you."

"Too fucking bad. You are stuck with me. I ain't going down as an accessory to your murder."

I stopped walking. "Murder? You think he'll try to kill me?" Daryl grabbed my arm again, dragging me to the car.

"I've seen the fucker do worse to women."

Tears burned a path down my cheek. What was worse than murder? I was afraid of Animal before but now I was terrified. All I wanted to do now was go home and not to my duplex I wanted to go home to New York.

* * *

I had a choice, sleep in Merle's room or Daryl's I didn't want to do either. I thought I had picked the lesser of the two evils by choosing Daryl's. But at two am I was lying in bed with his scent wafting off the pillow making me long to go to him. I reminded myself once again that Daryl was off limits. I couldn't be attracted to him. Frankly I didn't want to be either. Love and I didn't get along. Every man I was involved with turned out to be an asshole. I figured Daryl would be one more to add to the list.

.

Daryl had an alarm clock on his bedside table. The green numbers lit up the room enough that I could see almost everything in shadowy form. Ping and Pong disappeared under his bed hours ago and refused to come out. It might have been a treat to have the bed to myself for the night if it wasn't for the fact that I was terrified and the shadows in the room were looking more and more like people. Neely, get a grip. Jesse is on the couch and the door is locked. I spoke the next part out loud. "Besides Daryl is in the next room."

"Yeah and he's trying to sleep! All that moving around in my bed is making me think you're getting it on in there."

"Don't flatter yourself Dixon. When was the last time you washed these sheets. Are these walls made out of fucking cardboard?"

"Hey, I washed them yesterday! If you don't like it and be quiet soon I'm coming over there and sleeping in my bed. You can get the fuck out."

.

I had heard Daryl tossing and turning too so I knew he was lying about sleeping. "Dixon?"

"Names Daryl and what do you want now? You need a potty break, bedtime story maybe a glass of water?"

"I was thinking something a little stronger. You want a drink?" I had nabbed the bottle of Jack on my way out the door of my apartment earlier. Daryl was tapping on my/his door a second later. I let him in. I should have insisted we go downstairs but I didn't want to disturb Jesse. Daryl was wearing a pair of jeans that I heard him hop into before he came in here. It was the only explanation for the ruckus in Merle's room a moment ago. He hadn't bothered to button them and the zipper was down half way. I'd seen him like this twice. The only difference was he clearly had boxers on this time. His eyes trailed my body. I was wearing a pair of cotton shorts that were an inch longer that obscene and a cotton t-shirt that could hang lower than the shorts. I had it knotted at the side so he didn't think that was all I had on. My legs and feet were bare save for the duct tape bandage on my knee. Daryl stood awkwardly in the doorway the only thing he commented on was my eyewear.

"You have contacts?"

I had put on my glasses. I don't know why. Maybe because they made me feel like I was dressed and not in my nightclothes in a bedroom with a stranger. Daryl filled the awkward moment with an offer.

"I got some beer…" He didn't finish the sentence because he saw the Jack. "Whoa now that's better! Shitfaced it is!"

.

I doubted half a bottle of JD was going to make Daryl shitfaced drunk. Me? Maybe. I cracked it open and took a long sip while sitting at the head of the bed. He came all the way into the room and closed the door. I hoped that was only a habit and he didn't think this was an invitation to stay. I handed him the bottle while he took a seat at the foot of the bed.

"Where the fuck ya get this?"

"My place?" I took a hair tie from my wrist and gathered my hair into a ponytail.

"Damn girl you drink this a lot? I thought for sure you passed out because of that double shot ya had in the bar."

.

He handed the bottle back and I tilted my head to the left. That was my thinking look, when something puzzled me and I was about to ask a tough question. I put the bottle to my lips hesitating before taking another sip. I let the rim rest on my lip and asked. "How did you know that?" Once more I tilted the bottle before handing it back to Daryl. "And how did you know my name?" I left out the questions over my neighbor and her dog figuring his answer would fill in the blanks. I leaned against Daryl's headboard. His bed was the kind a child would use. I tucked my feet under his blankets. I think the JD was making me a little too comfortable with him.

.

Daryl turned towards me bending one knee like a figure four and tucking his foot behind the other as that leg dangled off the side of the bed. He took a few sips of the booze then held it by the neck while balancing it on his thigh. "You ain't the only one who knows how to investigate."

Touché Daryl touché! So he had been checking me out. Spying on me when I thought I was the one watching him. I chalked it up to knowing your opponent. We took turns passing the bottle in silence until Pong; the friendlier one of my two cats came out and rubbed up against Daryl's leg. Daryl scooped him up and stroked the back of his head. The cat responded with a loud rumbling purr. I thought how much of a traitor my cat had become. "Well, you won't be able to stop now. Once you pet that one you have to keep going."

"He likes it?"

I nodded. What kind of life did Daryl live that he didn't know that a purring cat was a happy cat?

.

I set the bottle on the bedside table thinking if Daryl wanted more he could grab it. My ponytail was making it hard to rest my head against the wall so I adjusted it higher on my head. Daryl watched me do it. I didn't know why he seemed to stare so long but when he put Pong back down on the floor he leaned in close to me. A shiver ran through my body because I didn't know what he planned on doing. He grabbed the tie and pulled it from my hair, then used his fingers to comb it down along the sides of my face.

"Better when it's down."

I darted my tongue across my lip and Daryl covered my mouth with his. He worked my mouth open enough to slide his tongue in and angled his mouth to make it deep. Before I knew what I was doing I had straightened my legs out and wrapped my arms around his neck. He pulled our bodies down in the bed so that he was supporting his upper body on his forearms while the rest of him leaned into me. I wanted desperately to open my knees so he could line his hips up to mine. As it was now his erection was pressed firmly against my hip. His kisses were making me feel deliciously dirty. My rational mind told me it was the alcohol and not Daryl per say. While I was battling it out with my conscious Daryl had an attack of his own. He stopped kissing me, took a few deep breaths before climbing off me and the bed.

"I'll…I'll see you in the morning. Okay? Goodnight."

He rushed out before I could reply. I could hear him a second later as he heavily plopped onto the Merle's bed. He sighed and then whispered "Aww fuck!"


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Walking Dead, AMC or any of their affiliates. This is purely for entertainment purposes and is a fan created fiction. This story does not reflect the actual Walking Dead series and doesn't claim to be anything but a fan (me) expressing my appreciation for the characters and the wonder that is The Walking Dead. All OFC's (Original Fictional Characters) are a product of my own imagination. Any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.**

**Chapter 5**

I don't know how, but I slept soundly until the light was streaming heavily through the window in Daryl's room. My cats had climbed into the bed and were taking up most of the pillow. One of them had their back end resting on my forehead with his tail draped over my face. I grumbled while rolling onto my side, pulling the covers up over my head. I wanted to fight consciousness but the need to use the bathroom was too pressing. I found Daryl in the bathroom fully dressed and scrubbing down the shower. The room smelled like bleach. He turned on the shower and hosed down the wall. I crossed my legs because the sound of running water made my need an emergency. "Um Daryl….could I…"

He looked at me saw my crossed legs. Laughing he asked, "Something wrong Hannigan? Is the water bothering you?" He turned it on full blast, laughing even deeper than before.

"Whatever. I'm not bashful, but I bet you are." I stepped into the bathroom and started to pull my shorts down. Daryl dropped the shower head, leaving the water running. He ran from the room slamming the door. It was my turn to laugh. The shocked look on Daryl's face was priceless. A couple of seconds later he spoke up.

"You're some kind of broad, Hannigan."

"Yeah well you're some kind of guy Daryl and it's Neely."

.

.

I brushed my hair and put it back into a ponytail even though I knew Daryl preferred it down. After getting carried away in the moment last night I didn't want to encourage the attraction. I fed the cats and checked my phone messages. Three missed calls from Pauly. I dialed my voicemail and listened.

"Hannigan, where the fuck is that redneck? I need him yesterday!" Delete.

"Hannigan I know you are ignoring my…" Delete.

"You better be fucking dead or I'm gonna kill you myself! Call me…" That one got deleted but made me sit there for a few minutes with my finger on the send button. Pauly had no idea how close to accurate he was when he said "Dead" I almost called him back and told him what happened. If I did he would just yank me off the case. I needed the money and after what I've been through it was no longer a job it was a mission to find Merle.

.

Daryl and Jesse were in the kitchen when I made my way downstairs. It was still kind of cool at night in Atlanta so Jesse was wearing his hoodie. He must have gone out. My assumption was correct when I saw a plastic bag from Chino's bakery sitting on the counter. Chino's was famous for its glazed donuts and my mouth began to water.

I nodded to Jesse and he grunted a greeting in return. Ever loyal he directed his comment to Daryl almost asking permission. "I'm going out for a smoke." He disappeared through the back door. Daryl held out a cup of coffee.

"I got milk and sugar. None of that fancy flavored crème or fake sugar shit."

"Milk's fine. I don't drink sweet coffee."

.

Daryl didn't reply. He whisked eggs in a frying pan then set them on the stove. I watched as he put bread in the toaster and got a tub of butter from the fridge. So he cooks, not attractive, not in the least bit. I was really such a liar. I couldn't even lie to myself. I stared at his back, thinking "My God his shoulders and back muscles seemed to mold his t-shirt to his body. And the way his jeans sat low on his hips making them bag in the seat. Thankfully Daryl spoke because I was getting lost in a very detailed sexy fantasy.

"There are donuts in the box."

"Thanks." I lifted the lid and took an extra gooey donut. At least I could enjoy one sinful treat. The other had to be off limits.

I was halfway through my donut when Daryl yelled for Jesse. He brought three plates of scrambled eggs to the table.

I looked at my pile of steaming fluffy eggs and slice of buttered toast. "You didn't have to do this. Do you have ketchup?"

"Lawd…ketchup?" He rolled his eyes but grabbed a bottle from the fridge. I began to drown my eggs while Daryl did the same thing, only with hot sauce. We both looked at each other's plates in disgust. "How do you eat that?" was asked in various methods. Jesse joined us with one word. "Ketchup?"

.

Daryl's scrambled eggs were amazing. I was surprised to find he had added cheese to them, my favorite. I could eat cheese on everything. I was incredibly stuffed after breakfast and felt like going back to bed Instead I avoided the obvious things I should be doing, like making plans to stay alive, by asking if I could use the shower. Daryl handed me clean towels straight from the dryer. I wondered how often he had company. I guessed hardly ever.

.

There was nothing quite like taking a shower in a freshly cleaned bathroom. As it stood Daryl's was cleaner than mine. I let the water run over me. My mind wandered to what happened last night. The kiss was amazing and I would have gone a lot further if he had pushed a little. I tried to guess what could have made him stop so abruptly. I had a list of reasons in an instance. He wasn't attracted to me, nope. He had a girlfriend or boyfriend, huge nope. Daryl wasn't the type to cheat. The physical contact was too awkward. I was the enemy after his brother and family was too important to Daryl, maybe almost certain. Well if Daryl wasn't going to bring it up, neither was I. Besides I had to get a plan and stop worrying about Daryl.

.

I stuck my head under the shower spray when the curtain was being ripped back. I put a hand in my crotch and used my arm to cover my breasts. My scream was drowned out by the sounds of motorcycles. I reached for the towel but Daryl wasn't giving me a second for modesty as he lifted me out of the tub. The next second he was tossing me onto the carpet in Merle's room under the windows. He didn't have to tell me, I knew what he was thinking and I had every intention of staying down to begin with.

.

The only thing I had to cover myself with was a washcloth and Daryl's body. I put the small square of terrycloth over my crotch and crossed my arms over my chest. But when the shooting began I abandoned all modesty and tossed my arms around Daryl's neck. I don't know how long all of it went on but the next thing I knew Daryl had his tongue in my mouth and his hand on my breast. It had gotten quiet because I could hear loud footsteps coming quickly up the steps. Daryl let go of me sitting up just as Jesse yelled for him.

"Cuz…Where the fuck are ya? Y'all okay?"

For a brief moment I just laid there naked as a jaybird because my washcloth was now stuck to the front of Daryl's jeans. Thank God for Daryl because he had enough sense to yank a sheet off of Merle's bed.

Jesse came running into the room, stopping at the doorway when he saw me tucking the sheet around myself.

"Daym… I guess you are alright. Need a few more minutes, cuz?"

"No he doesn't need a few more minutes! I was in the shower. Nothing happened! Besides….Besides that shit!' I pointed out of the window. I was careful to use my other hand to hold the sheet tightly against my body. I got to my feet and so did Daryl. The sun was shining brightly through the window. I looked at the front lawn. Tire marks tore up large patches of grass and every window in Daryl's car was shot out.

**"I thought you said you were going to talk to Merle and he was going to stop this? I thought you said they weren't going to do anything to you! That doesn't look like doing nothing!"** I was getting upset and talking with my hands or hand as I waved my right around back and forth to the window and pointing at Daryl. The sheet was slipping down my back but I held it against my chest with my palm. Surprisingly Jesse was the one to shut me up this time.

"Uh Miss Hannigan, you might wasn't to step away from the window."

I took a giant jump/step out of the way thinking one of the bikers was outside ready to take a sniper shot. "Is someone out there? Did they see me?"

"Uh…no, but that sheet is see-through."


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Walking Dead, AMC or any of their affiliates. This is purely for entertainment purposes and is a fan created fiction. This story does not reflect the actual Walking Dead series and doesn't claim to be anything but a fan (me) expressing my appreciation for the characters and the wonder that is The Walking Dead. All OFC's (Original Fictional Characters) are a product of my own imagination. Any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.**

* * *

**Chapter 6**

Daryl was hot on my heels, his angry voice carried through the entire second floor. "Don't walk away from me!"

"I told you. I'm going home!" Jesse didn't bother to follow us, instead he went downstairs to check what other damage was done to the property. I assumed he didn't want to be part of the argument and wished I _would_ go home. When Daryl was angry his eyes narrowed to slits. And he made this frowny face that made him look like a child. But when the frown went away though, he looked like he could easily take a life and not think twice.

"**You're** the one who got us into this **shit** so you **ain't goin**!"

"**I** got you into it? Think again Dixon it was that bum brother of yours. I'm getting dressed and **I am going**. You can talk to Merle so your life can go back to normal. I'll go home and my life can go back to normal. And when you talk to him do me a favor tell him to **stop breaking the fucking law! I'm going, end of conversation!"**

I thought the threat of getting naked would work like it had when I told him I was going use the toilet. But it didn't, Daryl stayed in the room. "Fine fuck it you want to watch me get dressed go ahead you've seen it all anyway." I dropped the sheet to the floor. I heard his groan and watched as his eyes trailed my body. He moved across the room quickly, taking large strides until we were toe to toe. His hands landed below my ears with his fingers threaded into my hair at the nape of my neck. He gave my damp locks a tug to make me tilt my chin upwards. He still had that evil narrow stare which bore into my soul making me shiver.

"I shouldn't want you, Hannigan.** You are a fucking pain in my ass!** Yeah my dickhead brother needs to get his shit together. That ain't your concern. Didn't anyone teach you to stay away from trouble? "

.

My pulse was racing already from the adrenaline of being shot at. Okay so they shot at the car and not us but there still were guns involved. Anyway my breathing was already labored and having Daryl this close while I was naked made it impossible to breathe through my nose. He was right I should stay away from trouble starting now. I should, any second. I'll step back and get away from the trouble named Daryl. Any minute now… He trailed open mouthed kisses along my jaw, to my ear and back to my mouth. _**Oh God**_ maybe not.

.

He hovered over my lips for a second, then darted his tongue into my already open mouth. I deepened the kiss by returning the favor. The slick feel of his mouth gave me a jolt of desire. It was reflexes that made me pull his shirt up. He yanked it the rest of the way over his head. He was kissing me again before his shirt hit the floor. I felt myself being lowered to his twin kiddie bed. I was powerless to stop it because frankly I didn't want to. He was so angry only a moment ago and now he was so passionate. I wondered if the two emotions fed off the other.

.

Every part of Daryl's body was rock hard. Every muscle tightened. I stroked my fingers along his back feeling the tension. I can't say mine wasn't. His tongue circled my nipple and the gentle way he sucked it into his mouth made me arch my back. He had just moved to my left when my cell phone rang. Daryl grabbed it off the bedside table and accepted the call. I shook my head no because I didn't want to talk I wanted him to finish. Without moving away from my breast he reached up and put the phone to my ear. At first I refused to take it until he impatiently lifted my hand so I could hold it there. I never wanted to strangle a person more than I wanted to strangle the person on the other end of the call. When I heard Paul Sicily's voice I knew I could actually have done it if he was here.

"Hannigan it is about fucking time you answer this mother fucking phone!"

.

I thought Daryl was going to get up and run again but he shocked me by kissing his way south. I swallowed hard when his lips made contact with the skin an inch bellow my navel. "Holy Fuck" I thought on a ragged exhale. I inhaled sharply as Daryl slowly dragged his tongue over my clit..

"Hannigan what's with all the fucking heavy breathing?"

I had forgotten I was holding the phone until Pauly barked in my ear. "Nothing I'm running up a flight of stairs. I can't talk now." Turns out if need be I could lie. I hoped with effectiveness. I gasped when Daryl shoved two fingers deep into me. Daryl was lapping at my clit like a parched dog would do to a bowl of water. I have no idea how I stayed as quiet as I did. I heard Pauly's voice again and realized I hadn't hung up.

"Are you getting laid? It sure sounds like you are, giving me a stiff one just listening to this shit.

"**No!** You are disgusting! **Goodbye!**"

Pauly was talking while I was and his words made me think twice about pressing the end button no matter how good Daryl was at licking. "**Don't fucking hang up!** I'm in you apartment and this place looks like a bomb went the fuck off in it!"

I was so close to coming but I grabbed a fist full of Daryl's hair, pulling him away from my crotch as I sat up. Pauly had something else to add to that comment and I knew it would kill Daryl.

"The cops are on their way to the Dixon house now. I found a body in your bedroom. In your bed actually. Looks like its Merle Dixon. Well what's left of his face looked like Merle Dixon. He had on his blue Angel's jacket so seems Merle isn't wanted any longer. Yeah and the cops, they need ya down at the station sweetheart. Like yesterday!"

Pauly was a loud rude son of a bitch that didn't give a damn if what he said offended people. I knew Daryl heard him. He jumped off the bed, paced back and forth while screaming **"NO!"**


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Walking Dead, AMC or any of their affiliates. This is purely for entertainment purposes and is a fan created fiction. This story does not reflect the actual Walking Dead series and doesn't claim to be anything but a fan (me) expressing my appreciation for the characters and the wonder that is The Walking Dead. All OFC's (Original Fictional Characters) are a product of my own imagination. Any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.**

**Chapter 7**

We couldn't take the car so we climbed into Daryl's work truck. The truck, a large industrial sized pickup, was painted mustard yellow. The truck bed had roofing equipment and scaffolding taking up every square inch. Along both sides were built in toolboxes that had once upon a time had been silver in color. Now they were dull, rusted, and covered in tar. Secured to both sides were collapsible ladders. This truck was easily recognizable and would be even easier to spot. I hoped to hell none of the Angels were watching. The positive was the police escort.

.

At the station I was taken by one detective in a dress shirt, tie and khaki pants. He led me down the hallway while two uniformed policemen escorted Jesse and Daryl in the opposite direction. I glanced over my shoulder wishing I could go with Daryl. This wasn't what I expected to happen. I thought Merle would get taken in, spend a little bit of time in the slammer, and be back at home with his loyal clan. I never thought he would end up dead in my bed because I couldn't stay the hell away from places I didn't belong. I was just about ready to turn my attention back to where I was walking when Daryl looked over his shoulder. His stare was long and unreadable. I didn't know what he was thinking because he hadn't said a word to me since we were in bed together.

.

I should have been watching where I was going because I walked into a man that was being led down the hallway. He yelled at me.

"Watch where yer going! Hey I know you! It's your fault. Yer the girl who started this whole effin thing. He's dead because of you!"

He was poking me in the tender space between shoulder and chest while screaming at me. I recognized him. It was the man at the bar that night who huddled his beer like I was going to steal it. The cop was trying to step between us but Daryl ran down the hall, tackling the man.

"Don't fucking touch her!" Daryl was on top of the guy. He landed one good punch before he was pulled off by the uniformed police officers. It didn't stop him from kicking at the man and fighting. "Gimp, I'm telling you fucking right now. You know who did this and if you don't tell me I'll break your fuckin jaw!"

"You already did asshole I'm gonna fucking sue you!"

"Tell me who did it! I swear to fucking God I'm gonna cut everybody's balls off in the brotherhood until I find the fucker…"

"Mr. Dixon I'm going to have to put you under arrest if you don't calm down. I know this is stressful." The detective escorting me pulled me away from the scene. I called out. "Daryl, please just go with them."

Jesse reached out to Gimpy. "Come on man your jaw isn't broken if you can flap it like that. Get up. You'd do the same if you were in his shoes."

Gimpy swatted Jesse's hand away and got up on his own. "Fine you got one shot but that is the last one Dixon. I'm sorry about yer brother."

Daryl lunged at Gimpy but the cops had a firm grip on him.

.

I spent hours in a room most of the time alone. I told them everything, including how I was almost raped by Animal. Well just about everything. I withheld the relationship I was having with Daryl. I laughed bitterly it wasn't a relationship it was angry sex and not even that because we only got to half ass foreplay. I was released but I didn't have anywhere to go since my place was considered a crime scene. As I walked out into the front of the police station I was stunned to see Daryl and Jesse. Daryl got up and met me half way. He grabbed my face with both hands kissing me square on the mouth in front of the clerk and Jesse. I had so many questions of what this was about. He seemed happy. "What's going on."

Daryl stared into my eyes. "Let's go I'll tell ya at home."

I didn't know what to do or what to say. I was so shocked that my feet refused to move. Daryl grabbed my hand, pulling me all the way to the truck.

.

Jesse climbed into the back this time leaving the front for me and Daryl. He told me to slide closer to him while he started the truck. I complied.

"Daryl what happened. Please tell me." He didn't say anything just smiled a lopsided grin as he pulled out his cellphone and showed me a text message.

"I ain't dead dickhead. Only the good die young. Someone's playing games and when I get my hands on them fuckers!"

I gasped. "It wasn't Merle?" Daryl shook his head.

Jesse spoke up. "Nope wasn't Merle. It was Bolt. I don't know what the hell they did to his face but half of it was gone. Stupid assholes didn't think to destroy the scars Bolt had on his fucking forehead."

"What? I don't understand what is going on?"

Jesse laughed. "Years ago Bolt was shot in the head with a nail gun, three times. It wasn't an accident. He lived and that is how he picked up the name Bolt!"

"That's enough! Besides Merle and I both have our father's name tattooed on our chest. That body didn't have the tattoo."

I turned around and looked at Jesse "You seem happy. I understand you are glad it wasn't your cousin but you seem glad that man is dead."

"I'm not going to cry over scum like Bolt McGovern. He was a lying, stealing, worthless, no good, rotten snake in the grass. You know that SOB used to knock around his old lady. I'm not talking about his woman I'm talkin about his Ma. And I heard that wasn't the only thing he was knocking with his ma. He shouldn't have been in the brotherhood to begin with."

"Then why was he in the gang?"

Daryl put his finger to my lips. "Shh…it's a brotherhood not a gang. None of that matters now. Bolt got what was coming to him. I just don't like the fact that they tried to pass him off as my brother. Someone will explain that bullshit!"

I worried about Daryl and what he planned on doing. He could be the next one with a nail gun put to his head, or worse a real gun. This was too much for me I put my head on Daryl's shoulder and stayed like that all the way to his house.

* * *

***author's note: this chapter is short becasue I think the next part in their lives needs its own chapter.**


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Walking Dead, AMC or any of their affiliates. This is purely for entertainment purposes and is a fan created fiction. This story does not reflect the actual Walking Dead series and doesn't claim to be anything but a fan (me) expressing my appreciation for the characters and the wonder that is The Walking Dead. All OFC's (Original Fictional Characters) are a product of my own imagination. Any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.**

**Chapter 8**

At Daryl's place he made sure the house was secure before locking the doors and pulling all the curtains closed. I ran upstairs to check the cats. They happily greeted me. I fed them and gave them water. A few minutes passed and I heard footsteps on the stairs. Jessie stood in the doorway. I hadn't expected the younger Dixon. I wondered if Daryl opted to sleep on the couch. So much for the kiss at the station meaning anything if he didn't want to be up here with me.

Jessie scooped up Ping. I was amazed that he let Jesse hold him.

"What's his name?"

"That's Ping and this is Pong." The chuckle that came out of Jesse was the first real laugh I heard from the man. I liked it, he should laugh more and so should Daryl.

"Ping pong that's funny. Why did you name them that?"

Ping nuzzled under Jesse's chin and I thought of how much my cats had become traitors to these Dixon men. "When I first saw them they were the only ones left in their cage. I ran my finger along the bars and they both followed it. They kept doing it, back and forth like they were watching a tennis match. I thought it was funny. Boring story right? Anyway, that is how they got their names, after table tennis."

"My girlfriend wants a cat. I'm more of a dog person but these guys are cool."

"I didn't know you have a girlfriend." Really I didn't know much about Jesse at all. It bothered me because I wanted him to like me. Maybe even accept me as Daryl's girlfriend. I got butterflies in my stomach. I hadn't really admitted to myself how much I wanted to be his girlfriend.

"Yeah she lives in East Point. Daryl and I have a job there in two days. We really need to go."

.

I nodded. I felt tears welling in my eyes and asked Jesse if he would fill the cat's water dish for me. I knew now why Jesse came up here. He wanted to have a talk with me to make sure I wasn't going to keep Daryl from doing the things he needed to do. Or anymore than I already had. In other words Jesse was telling me I need to go and go soon. Yesterday or even this morning I would have gladly walked out of Daryl's life and not looked back. I didn't know when exactly my feelings for Daryl had changed from lust to caring for him. I made sure my heart heard my inner voice when I whispered to myself, "You can't fall in love with him."

I hadn't heard Daryl come upstairs. I jumped when he spoke while standing in the doorway. "Man you're wound up tighter than an eight day clock. Where's Jesse?"

"I can't help it, you are too damn quiet. He's in the bathroom filling the water dish." Both cats were busy cleaning their faces after gobbling their food. I tried to look busy because I didn't want Daryl to see the hurt in my eyes.

Daryl and I had grown silent. He hadn't entered the room he just stood there staring at me from the doorway. Jesse gave us both a puzzled look when he returned with the water. I mumbled thanks to Jesse. I didn't know if it was because I spoke or if he finally found something to say, either way Daryl spoke up.

"Neely and I are going to stay in Merle's room tonight. You can sleep in here if you want to."

I turned around abruptly and looked at Daryl wide eyed. I wanted to stay with him now more than ever but did he remember how thin these walls were. He took my stare as an argument.

"Christ sakes woman! We'll change the sheets and flip the mattress. I'll even spray the bed down with Lysol if it will make you happy."

I was going to tell him it wasn't necessary but I liked the idea that we would be on the clean side of Merle's bed.

Jesse quickly claimed his spot opting to refuse the room. "I'm going to stay down stairs if that's alright with you. In case there is any more trouble."

.

A little while later the bed was changed, and the cats were settled in Daryl's room. They carried on for a few minutes. The room got quiet when they realized I wasn't coming back. I assumed their full bellies took them off to dream land. I nervously stood in Merle's room waiting for Daryl. All the spontaneous kissing and groping hadn't prepared me for this moment. I knew it was sex that Daryl wanted and although I wanted it too I felt awkward.

He came back from the bathroom shirtless and his jeans were undone. I was beginning to think he never buttoned them or pulled up his fly. I couldn't help staring at the speckling of hair across his chest. It was light in color and sparse, just the way I liked hair on a guy. My eyes traveled lower to the denser patch of hair below his navel. I knew where that trail led and it made me anticipate seeing Daryl naked.

.

For some reason while Daryl was out of the room I had changed for bed. I was wearing another pair of shorts and t-shirt. Irrationally I thought maybe he wouldn't want me to be undressed when he got back.

Daryl eyed me as he emptied his pockets onto the dresser. "You ain't wearing that to bed are ya?"

I couldn't answer because Daryl had dropped his jeans and was standing in front of me, unashamed. His body was amazing. More magnificent than I ever could imagine. He stepped closer and I crisscrossed my arms over my stomach, grabbing the hem of my shirt, lifting it over my head. Daryl wasn't going to wait for me to do the shorts too. He yanked them to the floor. His hands were on my ribcage as he turned me so my back was closest to the bed. He held his mouth a hair away from mine.

"Where's your phone?"

"In your bedroom."

"Is it off?"

"Yeah."

"Good I had enough cockblocking. Do ya need a little playing around cause I had enough. I'm fucking ready." His voice was husky and his hands explored my body.

This conversation was a little odd for anyone but us. The matter of fact way he asked me if I need foreplay would have turned other women off. Not for me though, just being near him was enough. Besides I had the memories of what happened earlier to kick start my libido. I reached between us, fisting his swollen member. "I am more than ready."

.

He lowered me to the bed with a kiss. I was anticipating an amazing moment where he entered me swiftly, but he didn't do it. He looked me in the eye, staring for a moment before asking me a weird question.

"Why do you die your hair?"

"What? What are you talking about I don't die my hair."

"Sweetheart you are not a natural blonde. Besides the peach fuzz don't lie,"

"What?" I said annoyed. I was asking this question a lot lately. I didn't want to talk right now.

"The carpet don't match the drapes babe. I just wanted to know why ya don't like yer red hair."

"Daryl Dixon get off of me!" I put my hands on his shoulders, shoving him off.

He rolled over but not without a few words of protest. "Come on!" He growled the words. "It was an honest question. I really want to know!"

.

He covered his eyes with his arm while a heavy sigh escape from deep within his chest. I knew he was frustrated and about to say something he or I might regret. I didn't give him a chance to argue. I climbed on top, fisting his erection again, only this time I slid down onto it. He snarled from the sensation of being balls deep. I had a few words to say right after a shiver ran through my body, starting from my core and radiating to my limbs. "I shave asshole I don't have a carpet. And if you must know the Georgia sun bleaches my red hair like this. I don't dye it." For someone who was Mr. Chatty a moment ago he got awfully quiet all of a sudden. He put his hands on my hips and he lifted me up so I could sink down on him again. "I hardly call a little razor stubble a carpet!"

"Neely, shut the fuck up!"

I bit my bottom lip. Having Daryl deep made me tingle from head to toe. "I'm not the one flapping his jaw."

Daryl pursed his lips and narrowed his eyes as he looked up at me. "Do I have to shove something in your mouth to get you to be quiet?"

Daryl flipped me off of him and quickly climbed on top. He was inside me once again in seconds and playing a rapid game of bury the boner. The pace was mind boggling. I was getting out of breath and gasped the words, "Later… want… this… now!"

He leaned his upper body in closer, angling his mouth next to my ear. "Your next words better not be anything but harder, faster, more…"

I didn't have time to say anything because he moved from my ear to my mouth and covered it with his own. He never stopped from his jack rabbit pace. As soon as he pulled out he shoved back inside. Almost right away he shortened his movements so he could push faster. I didn't think I could hold on much longer. I yanked my mouth away because I had to express what I was feeling. Words didn't do it but the sighs and soft moans did.

"That's better… more of that…let…me… hear…you."

He swiveled his hips grinding his pelvis against mine. I made a sound like I said the word ah but it was high pitched and sharp. He didn't stop until he had me making that sound a few more times. My whole body trembled and Daryl was gulping air between groans of his own. He reached between us giving me the extra push over the edge. It worked. As soon as his fingers made contact with my clit I lost control. I would have come without the manipulation but it took my orgasm from building up rapidly to a sudden powerful release. It must have been the same for Daryl because he joined me a heartbeat later.


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Walking Dead, AMC or any of their affiliates. This is purely for entertainment purposes and is a fan created fiction. This story does not reflect the actual Walking Dead series and doesn't claim to be anything but a fan (me) expressing my appreciation for the characters and the wonder that is The Walking Dead. All OFC's (Original Fictional Characters) are a product of my own imagination. Any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.**

**Chapter 9**

I had my hand tucked up under the pillow while I was lying on my side watching the rise and fall of Daryl's chest. It was early morning at sunrise. The light streamed through an opening in the curtains giving me enough of a view of the room and Daryl. Last night we had fallen asleep almost instantly after sex. He was holding me close but somewhere along the wee hours of the morning he must have rolled over and away from me. I didn't mind that he had because I knew it was just a matter of getting comfortable. I was pretty sure if Daryl wanted to get away from me completely he would have gotten up and slept in his own bed. I wondered if I dared touch him. Would he be mad if I woke him? The desire was too much to ignore so I lightly put my hand on the center of his chest. I watched as it went up and down with the steady rhythm of this breathing.

.

His body was warm and his skin enticing. I curled one finger into his chest hair and then one by one I did the same with my other digits. I kept repeating that action until Daryl's hand came up and landed on top of mine making me fan my fingers. I looked up into his face a little surprised to see he had his eyes open.

"I'm sorry did I wake you?" He exhaled long and slow adding a hum as his answer. Sleepily he rubbed his eyes. On a yawn he asked what time it was. "I don't know. It's early."

He closed his eyes again as he flipped his pillow over to the cooler side. "Good, we can stay in bed. Can't you sleep?"

"I was." Being like this with Daryl was so normal. I don't know what I expected, but with all of the craziness I thought spending a night with him would be rocky at best. I didn't figure it would be perfectly normal. For some reason I couldn't explain, that fact turned me on. Daryl was a regular guy deep down under all the insanity of his life.

.

I placed a kiss onto his chest, partially over his nipple. I felt it respond by tightening into a small bud. I kissed him there again but this time with an open mouth and the slightest hint of tongue. I heard him draw in a deep breath and hold it. He arched his back, stretching his arms out to the side.

He grunted and growled with the stretch and asked, "How the fuck can you be awake when we just went to bed a little while ago?"

There wasn't any anger in his voice only sleep and curiosity. I was tired but I longed for him fiercely. I left a wet trail of kisses down his chest as I got up on my knees and inched the sheet lower.

"Christ, Neely I can't!"

.

I heard his protest, but on my way down my arm brushed against his stiff cock. I moved past his navel into the "happy" trail. That wiry hair against my lips made me very happy and I was pretty positive what I was doing to him was making him very happy too. I ran the tip of my tongue along the rough ridge of his hood. I liked the feel of the taut, smooth, skin. Daryl let his knees fall open giving me room to move between them. I circled my tongue along the circumference of his head once more before finishing with a slow drag over his slit. I looked up at him. I was still holding his penis against my lips and I asked, "Still tired?"

Daryl tucked one hand behind his head. "Yeah, but I'm up now. Don't fucking stop!"

"I'd say you're up!" I smiled a sly, "I won smile" before sliding him into my mouth. First try I could barely handle half of him. Daryl was fully erect and throbbing. Instead of sinking down on him again I licked along the sides and up a thick vein on the underside of his dick. As soon I was sure he was completely lubricated with my saliva I took him into my mouth again. With each bob of my head I slid him deeper. One more try and I had beaten my gag reflex, taking all of him. Daryl moaned as I sucked and pulled him out like a lollipop. I repeated the process deep throating him each time. The only thing I did differently was stroking him with my hand starting at his base and pulling up as I slid him from my mouth. I twisted my mouth making sure my tongue was flat against him in different spots each time. I heard him say my name and "suck it" a few time while he put his hand on the back of my head. I was going to take him all the way, but he stopped me with a gentle tug on my hair.

"No Daryl, it's okay you can cum. I want you to."

.

He furrowed his eyebrows. I could tell he was wondering if I meant in my mouth. I did. I wanted everything with him and I proved it by going down again. His breathing was getting so fast and I could feel his body tighten. His legs were shaking. I knew he was fighting release to give me a chance to quit. I wasn't going to. I pumped him faster with my hand and cupped his balls with the other as I bobbed up and down in short rapid movements. He was clenching his jaw so hard that I heard his teeth squeak together. I kept at it until I knew he couldn't take anymore. He pushed on the back of my head and I took him deep as he exploded into my mouth. My eyes watered as I fought the need to gag, wanting to give him this more than I wanted to ever give this to a man.

.

His hand fell off my head as the tension left his body. I made sure I licked him from base to tip giving him as much pleasure as I could possibly give. His gasping breaths slowly returned to normal and soon he was able to talk again.

"Holy fuck do you do that well."

"Only with you."

"Damn fucking straight only with me." He sat up and grabbed my shoulders. "Get on your back now!" I started to move but Daryl had a change of plans. "No wait all fours." I did as he asked and he instructed me further. "Grip the head board."

.

I was anxiously waiting to see what he was going to do to me as Daryl knelt behind me between my legs. He leaned over me and kissed me between my shoulder blades. His hands traveled down my arms, across my shoulders, and along my ribcage finally coming to rest on my breasts. He used his thumbs and forefingers to roll my nipples making them hard, tight buds. I sucked in air through puckered lips. A jolt of desire coursed through me. I reacted by arching my back to the point where I was almost kneeling completely upright. Daryl took advantage of that, kissing his way down my spine and sliding his hands away from my breasts. I didn't want him to stop touching them, but knowing where he was moving his fingers to made me giddy.

Daryl put his hand on my back so he could gently push me into the position he wanted. "Lean forward and spread your legs more." I complied eagerly. He encouraged me, "Good, that's good."

It was good because he moved his hand and spread my fold's open with his fingers. It felt great and got better when he inserted a finger into me from behind. Daryl whispered against my back. "Mmm…so wet."

.

He was right. Doing what we did turned me on, he had me responding to every touch. Daryl gripped both hands onto my hips and yanked. The squeaky gasp I voiced made me giggle. Daryl didn't join in; he was dead serious as he scooted lower and kissed along the inside of my thigh. I felt him push his face between my legs and glide his tongue along my labia. I clung to the post of Merle's bed, burying my face against my arm. The angle wasn't ideal and I could tell he was getting frustrated. Daryl pulled away from me. "Lay down on the bed so I can finish."

.

I shook my head as I backed up so that he was kneeling behind me still. "No Daryl, I want you…inside of me. Can you?" I had my answer the moment I reached my hand back and felt his swollen cock. He swept my hair away so he could kiss the back of my neck. That was the spot, the one spot other than an intimate area that could make me orgasm without any other stimulation.

"Oh… Daryl… fuck me now!" I reached between my legs and Daryl understood what I wanted him to do. He sat back on his heels so I could line the tip of his erection up with my opening. As soon as I had him there he pushed up entering me with force. I tilted my head to the left and lifted my right arm up so I could grab the back of his head. I pulled his mouth down onto my neck again. "Kiss me, suck on my skin. Do it!"

Daryl wrapped his arm around my waist to keep me from falling forward into the doggie style position. He seemed to like the way I leaned against him. His left hand inched down to my clit again. And once there he traced figure eight style patterns with two of his fingers. Minutes ticked by as my state of arousal grew to a fevered pitch. I let go of him, falling onto my hands. Daryl moved his to my hips so he could pull me hard against him. I begged him to do it again. We were getting loud and I was certain we were going to wake Jesse. I shoved my face into the pillow to keep from screaming. Daryl slammed his hips against my ass over and over again. My orgasm was coming in waves with each deep thrust. Daryl muttered incomplete words and sentences most of which were fuck and oh fuck I'm coming. He didn't have to tell me because I felt it happen. Exhausted I collapsed onto the bed and he fell on top of me. My hair was matted to the side of my face from perspiration. Daryl was equally sweaty. Our skin felt clammy against each other. He pushed my hair back and kissed my cheek.

"You are amazing."

I wiggled out from under him getting Daryl to lie on his side. I did the same, facing him. He wrapped me up in his strong arms. "No Daryl you are the amazing one."


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer: I do not own the rights to The Walking Dead, AMC or any of their affiliates. This is purely for entertainment purposes and is a fan created fiction. This story does not reflect the actual Walking Dead series and doesn't claim to be anything but a fan (me) expressing my appreciation for the characters and the wonder that is The Walking Dead. All OFC's (Original Fictional Characters) are a product of my own imagination. Any resemblance to anyone living or dead is purely coincidental.**

**Chapter 10**

I never had two days fly by so fast in my life. I almost forgot about the job I was doing and the danger I was in. That was until Daryl brought it up.

"You can stay with Heather while we work. She said you can bring those flea bag rats ya call cats."

I gave him a dirty look because he was the one that let the cats have the run of the house and sleep in Merle's room with us. I barely saw the monsters because they both bonded with the Dixon boys so much that every moment Ping was with Jesse and Pong was following Daryl around.

"My cats do not have fleas, unless they got them from you are Jesse." Daryl leaned against the tall dresser in Merle's bedroom. He was fiddling with the end of a pipe. I knew what that was used for but I didn't say anything. Merle liked his drugs, a little too much if you asked me. Daryl had never been caught with drugs but the way he rolled the pipe back and forth made me wonder if that was just luck on his part. Maybe he did recreational drugs now and in the past. A second later it was like he crawled into my head or could read my mind.

He opened the top drawer, swept the pipe into it and slammed the drawer closed. "Stupid asshole leaves this shit out in the open for anyone to see, fucking waste of money. Give me a bottle of Jack any day. You can't go to jail drinking a bottle of JD."

That wasn't entirely accurate and he knew it. There were plenty of ways to go to jail after drinking. Daryl had done a few of them. I let it slide because it was just his way of saying he wasn't like his brother.

.

I folded the last of my clothing and stuffed it into the overnight bag I had brought with me. I sighed as I zipped it closed. "That's everything except the cats." I had something I wanted to tell Daryl and I figured it was best to get this over with now before Daryl made too many plans. "I think I'll go home. With the brotherhood dealing with the death of Nut, I think Animal might have forgotten about me. Nothing's happened since then." I waited to see Daryl's reaction. I hoped maybe he would show some disappointment because I wasn't going to be with him. It was silly of me to think he would beg me to go.

Daryl stood to his full height forgetting about tinkering with Merle's stuff. He gave me a dirty look. His was way better than mine. "Bolt… **And are you fucking crazy?**"

"_What?_ I said Bolt."

"You did not. You called him Nut. And what the_ fuck _are you thinking? Neely, you can't stay here it's…"

I stood my ground, denying I said Nut when in fact I was pretty sure I did. **"No I didn't!"** I disagreed because I felt like having an argument. I guess deep down I figured my time with Daryl was too perfect and sooner than later it would all blow up. "Why can't I go home? You just want me to stop looking for your brother. You think if I'm at East Point I'll forget Merle is a wanted man."

Daryl's voice got extremely loud. **"You're still after him? I don't fucking believe this shit!"** Daryl paced back and forth using his arm to emphasize his words.

I thought for sure a few things were going to go flying, but I never felt I was in danger.

**"You want to get yourself killed, fine go ahead."** He stopped pacing long enough to point his finger into my face. **"But let me tell you one thing, my brother is not your concern. If you want to know me, or be with me you drop this now.I mean right now!"**

Daryl didn't wait for my answer he charged out of the room. I heard him thump his way down the stairs followed by the screen door slamming against the porch railing. I could almost see him kicking the door to go out and it flying against the rail. His angry voice came from outside.

**"Jesse, get yer ass in the truck. Now!"**

**.**

I looked out of the front window. Daryl was behind the wheel. His muscles were straining in his jaw and the look on his face made me think he could kill someone. Jesse tossed the rest of the gear into one of the tool boxes before hoping into the cab of the truck. Daryl said something to him and then I saw Daryl put a cigarette to his lips and light it with a zippo lighter. In all the time I'd been watching him and staying with him I had never seen Daryl smoke. He took a long drag held it for a while, exhaling in a slow steady stream. He shoved the cigarette back into the corner of his mouth expertly holding it there while slamming his fists on the dash. Jesse looked up at me as Daryl threw the truck in reverse, driving over the grass and sidewalk instead of using the driveway.

.

Daryl was gone for ten minutes or so when my phone vibrated a new message. I don't know if I expected an apology or not, but I did half expect him to be back already and force me to go with him. I had a vision of him running back into the house and carrying me to the truck. I didn't get any of that what I did get was, "Lock the fuckin door on your way out!" In text, no angry voicemail, no raving lunatic rushing the house, nothing but a few words typed on a crap phone. Alright as you wish. I didn't reply instead I argued with my own self. "You started this; I hope you're happy, Neely. I sure hope you are fucking happy!"

* * *

I had all the bravery in the world up until I walked through my front door. Even my cats felt like this wasn't home. I had to shake them out of their carriers with the promise of tuna fish. I sure hoped I had a can left. My place seemed in order other than the fact that I knew people had been through every inch of the place, first the killer and then the police. Little things were out of place, stuff only a person who lived there would notice. I straightened a couple of pictures on my coffee table and refolded the blanket on the back of the couch. I was kind of shocked they had cleaned up as well as they had. I went to the kitchen next finding a can of tuna. I spooned some onto a paper plate for the cats and then ate the rest from the can. I don't know why I was eating dry tuna fish. I eat when I get nervous and it was in front of me.

.

By the time I realized the obvious, I couldn't stay here and I should have gone with Daryl, the cats had disappeared from the kitchen. I found Ping in the living room licking himself clean after his fishy treat. I got him into the cat carrier in time to witness Pong take off for the second floor. I couldn't bribe him back downstairs with tuna so I followed him. I caught a glimpse of him darting into my bedroom. My feet just landed on the tops step when Pong bolted past me on the steps like someone had lit his tail on fire. The hair on the back of my neck stood up. I didn't know if I should run down the steps after the cat or go find out what scared him. I made it to the door way before changing my mind about going inside. Something wasn't right in my room, my cat knew it, I knew it and I wasn't hanging around to find out what.

.

With both cats in their carriers once again and the three of us safely in my car I tried to regain my tough girl attitude. My hands were shaking so much I gripped to steering wheel to steady them. I wondered if I should call the police. I decided against it because I really had no desire to go back into the house and I didn't want to wait for the cops either. Had I looked up I would have seen the curtains in my bedroom slide back to position. I hadn't seen the person watching me but I certainly felt it. Goose bumps spread up my arms and a shiver shook my body.

.

I drove around for a bit frustrated that I didn't have anywhere to go. That wasn't true I did have a place to go I just was trying to convince myself that I shouldn't. I failed and ended up breaking and entering at the Dixon house. Actually I didn't' have to break anything. The window in the back was already broken all I did was peel back the cardboard and reach inside. That should have bothered me but it didn't oddly I felt safe in Daryl's place. The cats acted like this was home. I crawled into Merle's bed that night wondering what Daryl would think if he knew I was living in his place.


	11. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

I settled in to the bed thinking maybe I should sleep in Daryl's bed instead. I changed my mind because this felt more like our bed than Merle's anyway. I snuggled against a long pillow trying to pretend it was Daryl. I hadn't heard anything from him and that made me upset. I wondered what he was doing out there in East Point. I felt tears fill my eyes. I fought them for a little while until I couldn't stand it anymore. The last thing I remembered was crying myself to sleep.

Around two in the morning I woke up to someone climbing into bed with me. A male voice barked at me.

"What the fuck are you doing in my bed?"

I bolted out of the bed, pillow in my hand like a weapon. Merle Dixon sat up, looking at me in the dark room. I could see well enough because a street light shone into the windows. "**You son of a bitch!** You just stroll in here in the middle of the night like you…like…"

"**_Like_ **I live here? **I do fucking live here!** What the hell you doing in my bed? You can stay if you want to." He patted the bed and made kissy noises. "You were pretty scared back at your place, just like now. Look like ya seen a ghost. I thought for sure you were going to call the police."

I swung the pillow at him, hitting him in the face. "You were in my house? **_That_**… that was you! **You bastard!** I am going to call the police, this time. Then this shit will finally be over!" We both lunged for my phone. I got there first because I knew where it was. I pressed Paul Sicily's number instead of calling the cops like I threatened.

Merle hissed at me. "Go on call the police, girl. You don't live here, remember? And you better believe my little brother's never going to want you now. Not after I tell him what happened here."

.

He was gone in a flash and Pauly never answered. Not that it would have made a difference I had no idea where Merle was. I wondered what he planned on telling Daryl. Did he mean he was going to tell him that I slept with him or that I had been here and wanted to turn him in? Either way Daryl wasn't going to like it and I knew on top of the fight we had, he was never going to trust me again?

.

I decided it was too much trouble to go back to my place so I spent the night at the Dixon house. I couldn't sleep so I wandered around the place, mostly pacing the floors and a whole lot of snooping. I came across a single photo album in the whole house. It was the kind with sticky pages covered with plastic. Most of the glue had turned a tobacco stain color and quite a few of the pictures had slid out. The first few pages were empty and the next were baby pictures. There were only a handful of them, all Polaroid pictures. The date and name was written on the front.

.

I picked up one photo marked "Daryl" No date on it, only the name. He had to be maybe a year and half. He was sitting in a highchair and picking food out of a plastic bowl. On the tray next to him was a can of beer. I found a picture of a man that looked a lot like Merle. He had his arm around a woman but her half of the photo was cut out. I could only see the shape of her shoulder and a little bit of her hair. That must have been their mother, and it explained the empty pages in the front. Could have been wedding photos or maybe just pictures of her that someone took out of the family album. I flipped through pages of car pictures, dead deer and a couple shots of motorcycles. There were various women in the photos, all trashy girls, drunk or worse. The rest of it was empty I flipped through every page knowing they had never been used. My heart ached for him because there weren't any pictures after he was a toddler. No school photos, family portraits, no captured memories, nothing but cars and bitches.

.

I was amazed that in the back of the book there was one photo, possibly taken with a 35mm camera. It had writing on the back. "I'll always love you, Ali" A couple of hearts and xoxo underlined three times across the bottom. Someone young wrote those words. I turned it over to see who was in the picture. It was Daryl. He looked to be maybe eighteen or nineteen. He was leaning against the front bumper of a pickup truck, a bottle of beer rested on his thigh while he gripped the neck. He had a cigarette in his mouth. His t-shirt had the sleeves cut off and most of the torso was missing. He had a mullet and his hair was bleached from the sun. I could see Jesse in the background flipping the camera off with both hands. I wondered who Ali was and if she was a girlfriend. His first love maybe? I tried not to be jealous, which was impossible considering how things stood for he and I.

.

Daylight broke and I knew it was time to head home. I had just gotten the cats into the carrier when Daryl's phone rang. I wondered who would be calling his house at six in the morning. His voice came from the answering machine. "Leave a message…"

I missed him something terrible. "Get a grip Neely how long do you know him?" I needed that pep talk and a good swift kick in the ass too. I was acting like I was in love with the man. I sank to his couch as the truth washed over me. "Oh God…"

I heard the beep and then his angry voice. "**Neely if you are there pick the phone up!**"

I grabbed it without thinking if I should or not. I longed to hear his voice even if he was screaming at me.

**"Son of a bitch you are there! All this fucking time you're staying at my gotdamn house!"**

He was very angry and I misread it as being mad because I was here. I knew how I felt about him but it was obvious he didn't feel the same. "I see Merle got ahold of you. Listen Daryl I'm tired…"

"Merle?" He interrupted. "What the hell are you talking about?"

"Merle was at my house last night and he was here. Huh, I thought he would tell you. But don't worry I'm not going to chase Merle anymore. I'm tired, I'm going home and I'll leave you and your family alone. Goodbye Daryl." I hung up before he had a chance to gloat or tell me he agreed with that idea. I couldn't take hearing the rejection that I already felt.

.

When I got home my foul mood only got worse. I didn't sense anything strange in the house like I had the last time so I headed straight to my bedroom. I was pissed that Merle had been in my room and I wanted to know if he had gone through my stuff. I was reminded that I had gone through his stuff but that was different. I almost had myself convince of that when I was confronted with the state of my bedroom. Something large and essential was missing, my bed. I didn't think I wanted to sleep in it anymore, not after there was a dead man in it. I didn't like the idea of not having a bed and I knew I couldn't afford one. Anger welled up in me as tears burned hot streaks down my face. I was just about down the steps to call my mom when the phone rang. I half expected it to be her because she sometimes had this sixth sense esp. thing going on. Daryl barked in my ear instead.

"**Damn it Neely don't you hang up on me!** I'm on my way back there now. Make sure the house is locked and call the police."

"What?" Ping hissed from the cat carrier. I had almost forgotten about them.

"Will you listen to me? Get your cell phone and call the cops. I'm not kidding. Animal is dead and so is a rival gang member. Someone texted me this morning that I should keep an eye on my girl. Neely…please…"

I turned around to let the cat out of the carrier and screamed. The phone slipped out of my hand and hit the floor. A man was standing there. He was covered in blood, but I didn't think it was his own. He lunged at me, pushing me against the wall. That was enough to knock the wind out of my lungs. He easily overpowered me. I felt his hands slip around my throat. The last thing I thought before the world went black was I never got to tell Daryl I loved him.


	12. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

The man who was in my apartment was holding me captive in a dirty warehouse. The place stank like death and made me want to gag. I fought the urge because he had placed a strip of duct tape over my mouth. He had me sitting in a chair dead center of the room while he sat his lazy fat fucking ass on the loading dock eating fried chicken from a bucket. I knew Daryl was still on the phone when this moron took me captive. I did my best to describe him by screaming "Get your greasy toothless fat ass out of my apartment." And "I'm going to give you a matching scar on your face if you touch me again!" I'm afraid though half the clues pointed to almost all of his motor cycle gang members. I hoped they were enough for him to figure it out. I didn't know what good they did because this asshole was holding me here for God knows what.

I screamed inside of my head. "Untie me you fat fuck!" The dumbass couldn't even figure out the right way to tie someone up. My hands were bound at the wrist in the front. And he had my legs bound to the front legs of the chair. I figured he did that on purpose so that my legs were spread. If he tried anything I was going hunt him down and kill him myself. If I wasn't dead that is.

As time marched on though I knew he wasn't holding me for himself, he was waiting for someone. By what I assumed was midafternoon I couldn't wait anymore I had to piss and he was lying back on the concrete, I could only assume asleep. I leaned forward in the chair and pulled the duct tape off of my mouth. I was working on freeing my leg when he began to snore. "Disgusting slob!" From what I could see there was a cat walk that ran three quarters of the way around the building and lead to a door in the far corner. The stairs to it were behind me. This place must have been some sort of packing plant. I'd seen places like this before where the workers would be at tables and conveyor belts down on the floor, while the bosses were on the catwalk keeping an eye on things while shouting orders. It only reminded me of slave child labor shows I had seen on TV.

I had one foot free when dumbass stopped snoring. I loosely slapped the duct tape over my mouth again hoping he wouldn't notice I had my leg free. I didn't have to worry about it though because a couple of seconds later it began again. Sleep apnea, maybe he would stop breathing for good. I could be so lucky. After I had my other foot free I made a mad dash to the cat walk while pulling at the duct tape to free my hands. I tried to run silently but the sound of my shoes on the concrete seemed to echo throughout the building. Skuzball slept through it. I opened the door and froze in place the moment I saw the other half of the warehouse.

That part of the warehouse was packed with boxes. I thought the place was abandoned but apparently it was still in use. But what really had me frozen to the spot I was standing in was in the center a beaten and bloodied Merle Dixon was tied to a chair similar to the one I had just been in. The person who tied him up knew what he was doing. Merle's hands were behind his back and his feet were bound together and to the chair. I softly said his name but didn't get a response. I heard voices coming from the other end of the warehouse where the place was cast in dark shadows. One of the voices sounded familiar but I was too worried about finding a place to hide than narrowing it down to the owner of that voice. I couldn't go back on the other side because I was positive the fat fuck would shoot me. While I was fretting about what to do I heard the voice again. "Neely, what are you doing?"

I looked down at the floor and saw his face. "You… You're behind all this!"


	13. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

"I can't believe you are doing this! I trusted you!" I really hadn't but I wanted to make Paul Sicily feel guilty. I knew it wasn't working but I talked anyway. "When Daryl finds out I'm gone he's going to…"

"Going to what? Come look for you? By the time he finds you this will all be over. What the hell, maybe I'll give him a call and tell him to come here. It could be a family reunion…or a funeral."

Merle was awake now and straining to get free. He was screaming something and his eyes looked narrow and mean. I could only imagine what threats he was making against Pauly. I walked over to Merle put my hand on a corner of the duct tape. Pauly pointed the gun at me.

"Don't you fucking touch him! It is your own fucking fault I had to do this shit this way! Now move!"

"What's the matter, are you afraid of a few words? Afraid maybe Merle might insult you? Call you a short dickless mother fucker?" I ripped the tape off of Merle's mouth.

"OW! You fucking Bitch!"

Merle glared at me. I had ripped the tape off with such force I think I might have removed a few layers of skin off of his lips He didn't keep his attention on me long. He strained with everything in his body to get at Paul "You fuck! When I get out of here I'm going to rip your fucking heart out!"

"I'm warning you Hannigan don't stand in my fucking way." He turned towards a greasy looking guy. "Tie that fucking bitch up and get that bastard's brother on the phone now! They're going to watch him suffer!"

.

"No let me go!" The door opened above us just as the greasy man picked me up by wrapping his arms around my waist and pinning my hands down. He was strong but I fought anyway, tying to kick him or get free. I bit him on the bicep, getting a mouth full of my own hair in the process. I knew it hurt though because he dropped me. I landed on all fours hitting the concrete hard.

"Fucking cunt!"

I rolled over in time to witness him yanking his gun from the back of his pants as he hurled the insult. Paul came over and took the gun. His voice was calm.

"You fucking pile of shit! Get a goddamn chair now! Do I have to do this all by myself?"

Fat fuck from next door came thundering down the stairs. "Boss I'm sorry. She's a sneaky bitch, gave me a shot to the nuts. You got to watch her!" He pointed his finger at me. I hadn't done anything he was claiming.

"I should have and I'm going to now you pig! Why don't you tell him what really happened? He fell the fuck to sleep."

Merle growled at me. "Shut up before you get us all killed!"

.

Without a word Pauly rushed over to the man he lifted the gun to the man's head and pulled the trigger. Merle wrestled with the chair cursing and offering to shove Paul Sicily's head up his ass for him. I hit the dirt while screaming. I was in the fetal position praying to every saint I could remember when I felt a hand on my arm. I was being pulled to my feet to the sound of muffled shouts. They weren't far away I just couldn't focus with the ringing in my ears from the gun and the sound of my own heart beat pounding out of my chest. When I finally realized what was being said I opened my eyes.

"Anymore of this shit and you all die right here right now! Capiche? I said do you understand?"

Pauly waved the gun in my face? I nodded my head like a bobble head doll on crack. I felt a chair being shoved against the back of my legs and I sank into it hard. The guy who threatened to shoot me, the one I bit took his gun back from Sicily. My eyes fell on the dead guy. A huge puddle of dark tar looking substance was pooling around his head. More than I imagined was in the human body. I knew it was blood but my mind wouldn't let my heart know it was, because if my heart knew it, it surely would fail.

.

Two men had come in after Pauly had forced me into the chair. They moved the body back under the catwalk. I think they did it more out of fear that it would give Pauly an idea to start taking all of them out. I saw Merle and a big man exchange glances. I knew Merle recognized him. I thought perhaps Merle was sizing him up. The guy had a shaved head all but a patch of hair at the nape of his neck. That part was long and braided all the way to the middle of his back. He also had a similar braid on his chin. A goatee without the mustache. The guy with him wasn't the biker type. He must have been a friend of Pauly. In typical Italian mob style he had on dress slacks, blue button down shirt open at the neck to reveal a horn on a chain. Gold chain, gold horn and a square gold ring on thick knuckled fingers. This guy was almost the shade of orange you get from rub on fake tan lotion. I could have laughed at the stereotype but I was too afraid to open my mouth.

Sicily took the men in the back of the warehouse we could hear them talking a little bit but nothing that made any sense. I heard the words drugs, pickup, and they'll get theirs, but nothing else. I could hear a door slam and silence coming from the back of the building. As soon as I was certain I could talk I demanded to know what Merle was thinking. "Who the hell are these guys? And what the fuck is going on?"

"Shut up!"

"No I want to know. Do you think they will find Daryl? How will he know where we are?" I was trying to be quiet but I was borderline hysterical. What the hell is going on here?"

"Will you keep your voice down? Christ, I don't know what the fuck my brother sees in you, besides your hot little ass. Ain't worth it because you don't know when the fuck to shut up."

I head the door slam again and then Pauly came out of the shadows. He was closer than he could be if he was the one that came back inside. He was only pretending to be gone hoping we would say something he could use. I always thought he was a slimy weasel this just confirmed it.

"You want to know what is going on Hannigan? I'll tell you. As soon as these boxes hit the street everyone will know who is in charge. And it won't be these losers. With all their bosses dead they won't have anything to do other than ban together or kill each other. Either way I'm on some fucking beach somewhere enjoying my new found wealth."

* * *

I watched in horror later on as they tossed a man Daryl's size into the room. He had a burlap bag over his head but I could see the blood seeping through. His ankles and wrists were bound with duct tape. He stayed where he fell and I worried he was dead.

Merle was screaming at them. "You fucks, I'm gonna rip your nuts out through your fuckin nostrils! If he ain't alright you're gonna pay!"

Paul came in screaming at everyone. "Get him the fuck out of the middle of the mother fucking floor! If anything goes wrong with this shipment I'll have all your fucking heads on a platter!" He kicked Daryl hard in the ribs.

Merle went off, screaming threats at Pauley. He struggled so much that his chair toppled over with him on it. Pauly grabbed the burlap bag and yanked it off.

"Since you're down there you fuck, take a good look at your brother. It may be the last time you see him alive."

As soon as Pauly kicked the man lying on the floor I knew it wasn't Daryl. The way his body moved told me he was too skinny. Seeing his face only confirmed it was Jesse. Merle started to call Pauly a stupid fuck but I interrupted him.

"Don't hurt him! Please Pauly I love him! Daryl is everything to me!" Merle looked at me and finally understood. I felt bad for Jesse but I was grateful for the first time that Pauly was too lazy to do his job. He didn't even know what Daryl looked like.


	14. Chapter 14

**Author's note: I am changing the way this story is written. I don't think it gives the full picture being written in first person. And that is the main reason the story has been stalled for so long. I will be updating all the chapters but for now I will carry on with the story. Thanks for your reviews.**

* * *

**Chapter 14**

Jesse remained on the floor. He was awake but any time someone came in he pretended to be out cold. Neely had figured Jesse was doing it as self-preservation. She couldn't blame him, not after the way they had beaten him. They were alone again and Neely asked about the man that remained.

**"He's a cunt! Get over here boy and help me with this tape!"** Merle looked at Neely. **"And you, keep that trap shut and watch that fuckin door!"**

Jesse slid across the floor and sat up so Merle could pull at the tape on his mouth.

She was only happy to obey this time. If Pauly or one of his goons came back they would all die. She didn't expect to get an answer to her question but Jesse spoke up.

"That's Dom Klotz Kuzzy for short. Some women refer to him as skuzzy instead. They say he likes some sick shit in the sack."

Merle glared at Jesse. "Shut the fuck up dickweed!"

Jesse pulled the tape on Merle's ankle, using his teeth to yank it off.

.

Neely felt like she was going to be sick. These people were crazy and she worked for the craziest one of all. She tried to pull her hands free but Kuzzy had made sure she was tied pretty securely. He used the duct tape to pin her arms down to her sides and then wrapped it around the back legs of the chair. He did the same with her legs. She was sitting with her knees apart, ankles bound to the front of the chair. She knew Kuzzy had done that on purpose so her legs were spread.

Merle barked at Jesse.** "You're fucking useless! You should have this done already!"**

Whether it was the frustration of the situation, the fact that he believed he was going to die, or from being beaten senseless, Jesse's attitude changed and he lashed out at Merle. "If you don't** shut that fucking fat mouth of yours** I'm going to say fuck it and leave ya here to **rot!** One more word I swear to God!"

Merle was almost speechless. "Boy, you talking to me like that?"

Jesse wasn't done arguing. "I'm warning ya Merle! **I'm sick of your fucking shit**!"

Neely was sure the world had ended because Merle didn't say another word. She on the other hand told them both to be quiet. "Shhh someone's coming."

.

Jesse rolled his body as close to the spot they had dropped him. He didn't have time to scoot back to Merle's hand so the tape wasn't covering his mouth. Neely said a prayer that they wouldn't notice. Jesse covered his tracks by moaning and rolling onto his side with his back to the catwalk.

Kuzzy came down the steps and stopped in front of Neely. He licked his lips as his eyes scanned her body making Neely want to vomit. Jesse moaned loudly drawing Kuzzy's attention away from her. Sadly it was only long enough for Kuzzy to tell Jesse to shut the fuck up.

He wiggled his tongue back and forth over his bottom lip while he took one last look down Neely's body. "You got some mighty fine titties. Such a waste…"

He moved closer to her and Neely wished her foot was free so she could kick his teeth in. Merle didn't defend her not that she expected it. **"You touch me and I'll rip your nuts off and shove them up your ass!"** She tried to sound brave but her voice shook.

He moved his attention to Merle. His eyes went to Merle's leg. She prayed he wouldn't notice the ripped tape. Kuzzy turned his back on them and walked a few steps away, kicking Jesse's foot. "Few more minutes and all this will be over." His voice was low, menacing, evil sounding.

.

Daryl stood in the back of a box truck with a bunch of men that he knew, but up until yesterday they had been mortal enemies. Together they had one purpose and that was, take out the guy responsible for causing deaths in both their gangs. It wasn't yet proven if he could really trust any of the men here. Daryl wasn't one to pray, not in a traditional sense anyway but he lowered his head and hoped he hadn't sold his cousin out to save his brother and girlfriend. Maybe Neely didn't even want to be his girlfriend. Maybe they were already dead.

.

Neely couldn't fight the bile that rose up in the back of her throat. She had had enough of these lunatics and this turf war or whatever the hell this was. "What are you going to do? Kill us? Why don't you just do it now you pussy!"

Merle yelled. **"SHUT UP!"**

"No he wants to kill us then **do it!** **Fuck you** I'm not going to sit here and take this shit. Let that prick touch me! **Go on kill me**!

Merle pulled on the tape Jesse had ripped. "Neely shut your fucking mouth before you get us all killed!"

The door flung open and Paul Sicily came out onto the cat walk with three men in expensive suits. He ran down the steps. "**T****APE HER FUCKING MOUTH SHUT NOW!**" Do I have to do every **mother fucking** thing here?"

Kuzzy tried to gag her but she fought with him the best she could while being tied to the chair. As soon as Pauly's attention was diverted Kuzzy quit trying. Neely got quiet as did everyone else when the sound of a truck backing up to a loading dock echoed throughout the almost empty warehouse. One of the guys in the suits used the pulley to open the roll gate. Everyone stared at the truck and Kuzzy moved away from Neely.

One of the other men spoke up. "Get this shit on the truck now!" He turned to Pauly. "I don't want any trouble." He looked at Neely. "Take care of it!"

Raw fear washed over her as she realized what he wanted. He basically told Pauly to kill them. No witnesses no worries and Pauly seemed eager to do it.

What happened next was a blur that ended with Neely surrendering once again to the blackness. She saw the truck door open and inside Daryl was with a load of scary looking men. When she turned to ask Merle what was going on he had successfully pulled his leg free. His foot slammed against her chair toppling it over backwards. The sound of gunfire was drowned out by the loud crack of her head hitting concrete.


	15. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

Someone was smacking her face. Soft at first but then hard enough to sting. Weakly she swatted the hand away while turning her face from side to side to avoid the slap. Suddenly the fog was lifted from within her brain and she remembered where she was. She fought the person hurting her although she couldn't yet focus on his face.

"What the hell is she doing?" Jesse asked.

She recognized the next voice as belonging to Merle.

"She feisty, just the way I like em. Didn't think shit for brains would pick a broad like this."

Neely couldn't open her eyes because every time she tried the world spun out of control. He grabbed her wrists and yanked her to her feet. It could have been Merle that flung her over his shoulder or it could have been one of the men wanting to kill her. The problem was all she could think about was throwing up. "Put me down."

Jesse stood by the box truck and yelled. **"HURRY UP WE GOT TO GET OUT OF HERE!"**

A second before she started throwing up over the guy's shoulder Neely thought, "You were warned." She felt herself falling and couldn't do anything about it. Now that she emptied the contents of her stomach all she could do was surrender to the darkness once again.

* * *

Neely couldn't tell if the beeping sound was inside of her head or coming from somewhere else. She didn't know where she was. He would know. Was he here? Softly Neely called out. "Daryl!"

An angry voice answered her. It was a woman and not the angry voice she wanted to hear.

"You better not be trying to sit up again!"

Again? She hadn't realized she tried before. Like a child caught doing something bad, she leaned back in the bed.

"Where am I? What happened? Where's Daryl? Jesse? Merle?" Neely was shocked she asked for Merle but she was genuinely concerned for Daryl's brother.

The voice belonged to a stout older woman, wearing a nurse's dress that had to be at least twenty years old. She was also wearing a nursing hat that dated back to the seventies. No one wore them anymore but there it was sitting on the top of her hair sprayed head. The bun at the back of her head was so tight it looked fake. Neely couldn't help but stare at it.

"Young lady, you lie back in that bed and stop making the machines go off. Perhaps it is time for another dose of medicine?"

Neely was in the hospital and nurse Ratchet was taking care of her. This certainly felt like One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. She did her best to focus on the things around her. Her head felt like it was split open and her brain was throbbing on the outside of her skull. "Was I shot?" She thought. Panic set in because she needed Daryl. "Wait…please! What happened? Where is Daryl?"

"Quiet now. Just relax." The nurse held Neely's shoulders, trying to keep her in the bed.

"Why won't you tell me? Where is Daryl? Let go! Daryl…**DARYL!** No don't… let me go!" A few more people came rushing into the room and held her down while nurse Ratchet gave her a shot of some kind of medicine. She was scared for him but as the stuff took hold she couldn't remember why.

.

.

Neely wasn't sure how long she had been out but mentally she was back in the moment of when they gave her the shot. "Don't you give me that shot!" It had been several hours and the room was darker than before. Enough light filtered in to allow her to look around the room again.

"Miss Hannigan?" The male voice came from behind her in the corner and out of her view.

Neely tried to sit up. Realizing she was restrained. "What the hell is going on? Where is Daryl! Someone tell me what the fuck is going on!" Nurse Ratchet came rushing into the room with a needle. Neely instantly got quiet.

"No please. I won't yell. I'm okay, see. I'll be good."

"Miss Hannigan…" The man spoke again and this time he walked to the end of her bed.

Neely could feel the panic rising again. She looked at Nurse Ratchet and did her best to squash her fear. The man was dressed in a dark suit. A cop or an undertaker. With the last thought lingering in her mind a whimper escaped her throat. The Nurse stepped closer and Neely bit her lip to keep quiet.

The man spoke softly but with authority. "Miss Hannigan do you feel like you could answer a few questions?"

Cop, definitely a cop. Neely thought about that for a moment. Cops tell people their loved ones are dead, not undertakers. Tears leaked out of the corners of her eyes and streamed down her face.

The Nurse stepped next to my bed. "Now isn't a good time detective."

"No now is a good time. Now is the best time. What do you want to know? I'll tell you everything just tell me Daryl is alive. He's alive he has to be!"

* * *

One week later Neely was standing outside of the prison that house Merle Dixon. Her eyes traveled the length of the spiraling barbed wire. She was here alone because Jesse had gone to stay with his girl. Being that close to death made Jesse realize what was important, his lady. She tried not to stare at the women who were here waiting for their men, visiting them for an hour on a Saturday morning was their life. She noticed a blonde she had seen at the bar, what seemed like ages ago. The woman noticed her too but she refused to make eye contact. Neely overheard her whispering to her friend.

"That's the bitch that fucked everything up for Merle. All that blood is on her hands."

Ten minutes later they were escorted through metal detectors. Neely only had her cellphone, driver's license and the keys to Daryl's truck. She had been driving it in hopes she would feel a connection with him. She missed him and wished things had been different between them before the warehouse. She wished she had said I love you instead of fighting with him. There were too many things she couldn't take back.

After going to second and almost third base with a large angry looking woman who searched all the visitors, she waited for her name to be called. Another hour past before the large woman shouted Dixon. Neely stood up muttering to herself. "Would he be surprised to see me? More so would he be happy that I came?" She figured she was the last person he expected.

.

He was wearing regular clothing, spotless jeans and a t-shirt. They didn't belong to him that much was clear. She wasn't prepared to see him looking so normal. She had envisioned an orange jumpsuit and flip-flops not street clothing. A series of buzz alarms and multiple clanging doors brought him through one cage to another and then finally Daryl was standing in front of her. Their eyes met for only a moment because Daryl was pulled over to a window. There he collected a brown envelope containing only his basic items, a wallet and set of keys. A few minutes later they were unceremoniously tossed out into the parking lot. Daryl had yet to speak and she couldn't read his expression. He took a few large steps putting distance between them. Neely did the only thing she could think of, and shouted something meaningless. "I brought your truck."

He stopped walking, stood with his back to her for a minute. When he finally turned around he looked menacing. A shiver ran through her body. She thought, "Here it comes; he's going to tell me to fuck off."

Daryl crossed the space between them, pulled her against him, kissing her roughly. She felt her teeth cut into the inside of her lip but Neely didn't care. Daryl still wanted to kiss her. She was glad for his anger. His indifference would have cut her to the bone. As fast as his anger had brought him to her equally as fast he let her go.

She didn't want him to stop, didn't want him to let go. "I thought you were dead."

"You? I thought you were. They wouldn't tell me what happened."

Suddenly Neely realized she was mad that he didn't tell her what was going on. Coupled with the fact that she didn't know his fate for a long time made her swatted his arm. "Why the Hell didn't any of you tell me you knew what Pauly was doing?" She stood there staring at him. Daryl just returned her stare. His blue eyes bore into her soul. "Damn you Daryl Dixon!" Neely flung herself at him. She wrapped her arms around his neck as tight as she could while she buried her face against his shoulder. The tears she shed now were out of relief that he was okay. "You could have been killed. I love you and you would have died without knowing it!"

Daryl held Neely tightly. He could say it back to her because he did lover her. He wouldn't though. He would wait until they were at home and in bed. There he would show her he loved her. And tell her again and again until she was tired of hearing it.

"Let's go home, I never want to see this place again."

Neely couldn't have agreed more.


End file.
